Fear

Our circumstances don’t define God and when we, as believers allow the circumstances of our lives to determine who God then we are presenting to the world a God who is not unlike the idols found through out the Bible. When we determine who God is and how He functions in this world then we are arrogantly placing ourselves above God and He will not stand for this. The Bible is clear that God is to be primary in our lives and when He is not we will be miserable because we have removed ourselves from the true source of joy in the world.

However, when we are able to step back and realize that God is on His throne then we can see both how small we are and how important we are to Him. I think the smallness of this realization is one of the motivators for us supplanting God and His authority in the first place. At some level we all fear being or becoming insignificant and when we compare ourselves to who God truly is we feel insignificant. However, God says to us in Joshua 1:9 to not be afraid and to be strong and courageous. Most people have looked at the verse in the context of facing life's chanllenges but I think it also applies to the fear of being insignficant.

The Biblical text is clear,  humanity is important to God. We are the pinnacle of His creation. We are loved and cherished above the angels. We are important enough to Him that Son, Jesus, chose to die for us. We are also told that we will never be alone and that He will be with us even to the end of the age (Joshua 1:9, Matthew 28:20).

So as you look you at your life and circumstance remember that no matter what God is still on His throne and that He is calling us to be strong and courageous and to keep on the throne of our lives.

Stand Firm

I have thought a great deal about the analogy that Paul gives when he explains the Christian life as a marathon. I think about how my own running plans and goals are affected by what I do and how I approach them. I have considered the mental discipline that is required of me as a runner and how discipline is required of each believer. I have thought about those times when I get tired as a runner and how I have to some times just make the decision to take one more step and then another and another and so on.  I have thought about how when I am truly dedicated to my running that I reap great rewards and how when I am truly dedicated to God I see some amazing things happen in my life and in the lives around me. I have often considered how I have to make time to run if I am going to get stronger and faster and how if I want to become closer to God that I must make the decision to be with Him.

In the end, for me the greatest lesson from Paul’s analogy is that it is a choice and a decision. I must choose on a daily basis to make God a priority. I must chose to make the things of God important in my life. I must make the decision to stand up and be a man of God and stand firm in my faith, no matter the circumstances in my life.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong"-1 Corinthians 6:13

 

Thinking about things

What do you think about the most? What are those things that take up your mind's time?

I know I have a vast array of things that consume my mental energy. I think about what I am doing, where I am going, my family, my friends, and random other things (such as eagle-chickens). If you are anything like me then you probably do not spend a whole lot of time simply thinking about God especially when we compared to the amount of energy we use on other things.

Have you ever thought about how much God thinks about you? Have you ever considered how much of God's infinite mind is used thinking about you? The fact of the matter is that it is more than you or I could possibly imagine.

"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You." Psalm 139:17-18

As I have considered this the nerd in me started to think about how the math of infinity might play in to this idea. As I did some research and verification on the web I came to a couple of conclusions.

1. The inverse of infinity is zero.-Implication-Either God's mind is infinite or it is non-existent. It has to be one of the other because the Bible describes His mind this way and the Bible is absolutely true or absolutely false.

2. Applying the concepts of math to the metaphysical can be trick at best.

3. Math can not explain an infinitely loving God because it has no means of putting this in to its strictly logical format.

In the end these verses teach me that God is constantly thinking about me. His thoughts are always about me not matter where I am or what I am doing. And when I think about these verses in light of other verses such as 1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16 and Romans 5:8 I realize that when God is thinking about me He is doing so in such a way that He sees me through the eyes of love and compassion. How awesome is that?!?!?!? The God and Creator of the entire universe is constantly and lovingly thinking about me (and you for that matter)!

The Things God Knows

Have you ever really sat down and considered everything that God knows? It is a whole lot of stuff. Just take your own life for example. How much of your life can you remember? Are there moments you have forgotten in your own life? Of course, there is but God God has not forgotten any of them. He knows every moment and and every tiny detail about your life. He also has this exact same level of knowledge about every person on earth. Plus, He also has this knowledge about every person who has ever lived!

And this is just beginning point of his knowledge! That is a super crazy amount of stuff to remember and keep track of. Yet God in his infinite ability and wisdom is able to have a personal relationship with me. If that fact does not blow you away every time you consider it then I do not know what will.

Psalm 139:6
"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain."

I hope you are able to take some time today and consider the knowledge of God.

Giving without asking

Genesis 3:21 NIV

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Have you ever considered that Adam and Eve did not ask for clothing? He knew they needed them and He simply provided. God does the same thing today. He knows us so much better than we know ourselves and as such He provides for us long before we ask or even know to ask.