The cry of the heart is, I want to be good. I want to read my Bible, study, and pray. I want to be patient, kind, thoughtful, loving, and slow to anger. But these are not natural for me. Why do I struggle so? Didn’t God promise the presence of the Holy Spirit, His power, strength, and comfort to those who believe on Him? I really want to do these things for God, but I don’t seem to be able to follow through with any commitment. Why not? Why can’t I do what I know I should do?
Many of us are doing what we heard preached from the pulpit, taught in Sunday school, or evidenced by other believers. We are going through the motions, because leaders have said this is the life a believer should live. We are taught about a loving, sacrificial, eternal, God and King. But we cannot seem to do what He simply asks of us.
I have been taught math, but I don’t do math problems everyday. Had a teacher told me that was the purpose for learning it I would have laughed at her and told her she was crazy. I do math, because I love the challenge of discovering the answer, and because math just seems logical.
Unfortunately many listen and believe what others say about God, never discovering for themselves God’s character, His undying, selfless love for His creation. Never knowing the pain and sorrow the generations before caused. Never reading the love stories of old. Never reading with wonder and amazement at what it took for God to create the oceans, the mountains, the valleys, the Grand Canyon, the beautifully painted sunrises, all creatures great and small. Never knowing the anguish at the first shed of blood. Never knowing His anger. Never know His tears. Never knowing His joy.
Never knowing how God was jilted by His own people, how they turned their backs on the one who gave them everything they needed, He fought their battles, sent rain on their crops, and birthed an entire generation. He divided seas and calmed oceans. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cried with sorrow at the harassment of His creation. He loved us first.
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard; My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choices vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. (Isaiah 5:1-2a)
The lover’s heart was so full of joy for his beloved that He did everything of necessity to care for and protect his beloved vineyard from pests, pestilence, and un-welcomed guests who wished to devour such beauty. God’s love gave us all we need. His hand of providing, protection, and blessing covers those who believe. Dive deep into His written words. Discover a God that none can describe. Discover an ember of love that will burn into a blazing fire. Discover a love so strong that not even death could contain it. Sit in the warm glow of the written words, wrap your heart, mind, and soul around every word. Search with longing at all God is, and was, and is to be.
Then fall on your knees and worship Him. Take this new discovery of love and look anew at His request that you come to Him, read His word, study, and pray. Discover a loving resolve that awakens you in the morning with anticipation and excitement. A resolve that keeps you awake at night, reads through a pounding headache, concerns of unfinished work, or unpaid bills. Read, study, and pray, and watch an “unseen God” come to life inside of you. Read….and find a Love like no other.
Many of us are doing what we heard preached from the pulpit, taught in Sunday school, or evidenced by other believers. We are going through the motions, because leaders have said this is the life a believer should live. We are taught about a loving, sacrificial, eternal, God and King. But we cannot seem to do what He simply asks of us.
I have been taught math, but I don’t do math problems everyday. Had a teacher told me that was the purpose for learning it I would have laughed at her and told her she was crazy. I do math, because I love the challenge of discovering the answer, and because math just seems logical.
Unfortunately many listen and believe what others say about God, never discovering for themselves God’s character, His undying, selfless love for His creation. Never knowing the pain and sorrow the generations before caused. Never reading the love stories of old. Never reading with wonder and amazement at what it took for God to create the oceans, the mountains, the valleys, the Grand Canyon, the beautifully painted sunrises, all creatures great and small. Never knowing the anguish at the first shed of blood. Never knowing His anger. Never know His tears. Never knowing His joy.
Never knowing how God was jilted by His own people, how they turned their backs on the one who gave them everything they needed, He fought their battles, sent rain on their crops, and birthed an entire generation. He divided seas and calmed oceans. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cried with sorrow at the harassment of His creation. He loved us first.
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard; My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choices vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. (Isaiah 5:1-2a)
The lover’s heart was so full of joy for his beloved that He did everything of necessity to care for and protect his beloved vineyard from pests, pestilence, and un-welcomed guests who wished to devour such beauty. God’s love gave us all we need. His hand of providing, protection, and blessing covers those who believe. Dive deep into His written words. Discover a God that none can describe. Discover an ember of love that will burn into a blazing fire. Discover a love so strong that not even death could contain it. Sit in the warm glow of the written words, wrap your heart, mind, and soul around every word. Search with longing at all God is, and was, and is to be.
Then fall on your knees and worship Him. Take this new discovery of love and look anew at His request that you come to Him, read His word, study, and pray. Discover a loving resolve that awakens you in the morning with anticipation and excitement. A resolve that keeps you awake at night, reads through a pounding headache, concerns of unfinished work, or unpaid bills. Read, study, and pray, and watch an “unseen God” come to life inside of you. Read….and find a Love like no other.
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