Psalm 138:1-2: "I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word."
Simone Weil in his book Waiting for God says, "It is not my business to think about myself. My business is to think about God. It is for God to think about me." What a refreshing look as to where our eyes should be directed.
Meditate On This!
Meditate on these things this week:
- 1) How, and how often, do I praise Him?
- 2) Is it with all my heart, or just half-hearted?
- 3) Am I bowed down in that I understand who He is and who I am only in Him?
- 4) Meditate on His faithfulness to you.
Stop to realize that the name of Christ has been exalted above all names because of how He served. Lets learn from His example.
Exodus 13:3: "Then Moses said to the people, Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast."
As youngsters most of us were taught the phrases "please" and "thank you". I see my daughter and son-in-law teaching this to their two-year-old daughter all the time. It warms the heart to see people who are thankful and polite. We see a heart of gratitude when we sing praises to our King in church or in small groups. The attention is drawn away from us and pointed directly to Him. However, how about our prayer life? Has prayer become a list of our "wants" rather than a sense of "thank you" to our loving heavenly Father for what He has bestowed on us?
Meditate On This!
I trust that each of us is in communion with God on a daily, even moment by moment, basis through prayer. Our attitude should be one of seeking God in every area of life. However, how many times have we prayed without thanking God for the things He has brought into our life? Not only the good, but the bad?
Lets meditate on how our prayer life can change as we come with a heart of gratitude rather than an attitude of want. Yes, there will always be needs, and God wants to hear those things we petition for others. This week lets really concentrate on starting our prayers with an attitude of adoration to God and thanksgiving for all He has given.
Exodus 13:3: "Then Moses said to the people, Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast."
As youngsters most of us were taught the phrases "please" and "thank you". I see my daughter and son-in-law teaching this to their two-year-old daughter all the time. It warms the heart to see people who are thankful and polite. We see a heart of gratitude when we sing praises to our King in church or in small groups. The attention is drawn away from us and pointed directly to Him. However, how about our prayer life? Has prayer become a list of our "wants" rather than a sense of "thank you" to our loving heavenly Father for what He has bestowed on us?
Meditate On This!
I trust that each of us is in communion with God on a daily, even moment by moment, basis through prayer. Our attitude should be one of seeking God in every area of life. However, how many times have we prayed without thanking God for the things He has brought into our life? Not only the good, but the bad?
Lets meditate on how our prayer life can change as we come with a heart of gratitude rather than an attitude of want. Yes, there will always be needs, and God wants to hear those things we petition for others. This week lets really concentrate on starting our prayers with an attitude of adoration to God and thanksgiving for all He has given.
Psalm 118:28-29: "You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. I will give thanks to you, Lord, for you are good; your loyal love endures forever."
It continually amazes me how much excitement is generated by our dog "Peaches" when we return home. This "mutt" gets all excited every time she sees us, and no matter what I do or say to her, she seems to always come back and tries to show her love.
It is hard to find loyal friends, isnt it! In the game of baseball the media would say it is hard to find players who are loyal to teams. Transactions and the current system of the game allow for all kinds of movement.
Meditate On This!
Praise God that He does not move! Praise Him also that He is loyal and that His love endures forever! As you consider the week ahead, take a few moments to write down the many ways in which our Lord and Savior has been loyal to you . . . even when you have not been faithful to Him.
Romans 12:10: "We must be devoted to one another in love, honoring one another above ourselves."
It has almost become an expected ritual to thank all those who have helped you gain an award, whether it be most valuable player in athletics, a Grammy, or an Oscar. There is something special about hearing people honor others in this way, but it is especially great when the emotions kick in! How about a husband who honors his wife by publicly drawing attention to her commitment to him and her family? Or a person giving special honor without words by the way they act toward them.
Meditate On This!
Who are you honoring, or dishonoring, in your life? Are you living with intention to honor your God? Your parents? Your spouse? Are there others in your life who need to be given the honor they deserve?
Here is something else to meditate on - who have been the ones who have blessed you the most? You may need to thank them today. Possibly this is an area of your life that is lacking. This week ask God to show you how you might honor those around you that love you and have been so intimately involved in Gods sovereign plan in your life.
I Corinthians 11:23-24: "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus,on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
While in Florida, I was having dinner with some veteran baseball players. During the conversation we discussed how other veteran players look out for those rookies in the locker room at their first Spring Training. Sometimes they would treat them to a meal, or take them aside and give them insights into the game at the Major League level.
It is just as exciting to see men get together and remember the deeds and qualities of a past generation, player or team. Discussions happen at coffee shops and restaurants around the world, talking about what it "used to be like".
Meditate On This!
I know we are reminded of this when we take communion, but are we in the habit of remembering weekly what Christ did on the cross? The Jews remembered their deliverance from Egypt in their annual Passover Festival. Jesus died at Passover time as the new Passover Lamb. He ate the Last Supper during the Passover just before His death. He instituted this memorial of His death.
I am not into written prayers, but maybe now you need to just bow and say, "Dear Lord, I realize again today that you died for me, and I am showing my response to your death. I am relying upon you to save me. I renew my vowed obedience to you. I love you."
We can get caught up in the "rat race" of our profession. Today, lets stop and remember the most significant week in the life of mankind, when Jesus gave up His life and then rose from the dead.
