Friday, August 17, 2007

Thoughts for Aug. 17, 2007


Does God owe us anything?
Does God owe us a job? Does God owe us a higher pay scale if we are working hard but only making $15,000 or working hard and making $65,000? Does God owe us a promotion over other employees who are less qualified than us or who work less hard?
Does God owe us safety driving over bridges or skiing on a lake or driving a golf cart recklessly?
Does God owe us answers to our prayers? If we really know our future plans would be perfect does God owe us then? Does God owe us our hearts desire for our dream career?
Does God owe us our dream house with everything in it we will ever need to raise our kids perfectly? Does God owe us children? Healthy children? Able-bodied children? Obiedient children?
Does God owe us a spouse who loves us and helps us with everything we need or want?
Does God owe us loving parents who give us good gifts and help when we need it or love when we need it or financial support to help us?

NO

This topic has been on my mind the last many days. It seems I have had different things pulling me in my life and in many different directions. And maybe as life changes and we seem out of control I realize more fully who is in control. God is in control and I fully trust Him with my life. I fear Him and know everything is working out His master plan.

But aren't we in control? As long as we continue to go to work I will always have a job and a paycheck and money to pay the bills and buy clothes and have fun and live life and be happy.

NO

Our hardest work is but rubbish if done for our gain. Our work should be for God's glory. Our children, our jobs, our talents, our gifts, our wages, our love; they should be for God. All of the things we have in our life are truly His first and we don't deserve any of it. I look down and see my heart pumping through my chest. Can I keep it going? What a wonder! My heart is pumping and Lord-willing will continue for many years to come. It just keeps on going, working very hard, doing the intent of it's creator. I realize very quickly I am powerless. Then in the next minute I think an evil thought about someone and deserve to be struck down. My sins constantly are piling up under the weight of God's wrath and nothing I do can remove them.
But scripture says:

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. Psalm 103:8-13.

We should praise His name for the many blessings we have, for saving us from the pit, for giving us new life, for allowing us another day on this earth, for giving us eyes to see, yes eyes. Can you imagine getting up this morning and not having eyes for a day. What an eternity before that day would be over and our life could move on! What an inconvenience! But when was the last time we thanked God for those bodily things that sustain us.

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