What do you long for? What's on your mind? What do really hope for?
This past week, I started a new sermon series from Psalm 1 which talked about a person who received a blessing from God when they "delighted in the law of the Lord." Psalm 1:3
I asked myself this past week, whether I really love God's word? Do I read it because it's just part of my job, or do I hunger to read it?
I felt convicted as too often I hunger for a holiday or can't wait to go fishing, but must desire God's word in order to be truly happy.
There is so much desire to be happy...perhaps longing for more pay, longer vacation, bigger house, or better position...but true happiness is found in the word of God.
Do you believe it? If you haven't picked up God's word for awhile, He is waiting to speak to you!
4 comments:
I find myself wondering the same thing, Paul. I do love God's word; at least I know the Word is the definition of truth and the very essence of life, so why then is it so difficult for me to find the time to read it? In truth, I do read every day and what I read is almost 100% related to God's word and to faith, yet for me to just sit and read the bible chapter by chapter, well, I wish I could say it was easy, but I don't find that to be true.
I met a 22 year old Swedish student last month on a flight that I was on and we got to talking about faith. She told me she reads 6 pages of the bible every morning. She said she used to read 8 pages every morning, but she had to cut it back because of her heavy work load in university. I felt very amazed at her commitment to His word, and a bit sheepish to be sure, as I know I don't read that much bible every day...
Yes, I agree, happiness, or at least true peace, comes from God and from His word; (Psalm 1 comes to mind)... but how much more joy and contentment we would find if we could only prioritize our lives to fit around the Word instead of the other way around.
Much peace to you brother,
Gresha
Hmm, interesting discussion with the Swedish traveller. I often hope that God doesn't judge us about how much we read, but rather what is our intention behind why we read. Do we read out of necessity, out of shere survival, knowing that these are words of life, OR read out of obligation?
Thankfully God will teach us no matter how much we read - but realizing God wants to teach us so much more if we come longing to hear and learn.
PW
So many times when I pray my mind locks up and the words I feel in my heart have trouble making their way to my mind in order for me to verbalize my concerns to God. I keep thinking there is some kind of key that will unlock this for me. I love the Lord and believe he is behind everything but when it comes to talking with him I find myself reduced to short connections with Him most of the time. I have such a fulfilled feeling when I know I have said EXACTLY what I want to say to him and yet those times are far and few between. I wonder why?
Dear Anonymous,
As each of our relationships with God are certainly unique, my only advice is keep building on those short conversations. As we continue to listen to God throughout the day, we will hear him speak to us and direct us.
Another way that may help you communicate to God what you want is to write down your prayer. I find that as you write down, you can articulate and think about what's on your heart. When writing we are also force to look at what we are saying to God and be honest with where we are at.
The best part to remember is often when we don't feel we can express what's in our heart, we are told that the Holy Spirit will "interced for us with groans that words cannot express. (Romans 8:26). Keep on praying and God will hear!
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