I am so glad I have been able to soak in Father's love as of late. That is what makes it possible for me to come boldly before Him again. But I have to do more than soak in His love. If I don't want more from Him than to feel better about life and myself I am not seeing Him clearly. As I continue to know Him better, I will feel better, but if that is my main goal I am missing it.
I have to do what Hos 6:3 (NKJV) says: Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth. He redeemed me as part of a people He has made to show forth who He is. It is my job to let Him make me more like Himself every day, and for that to happen, I need to seek to know Him. I cannot change myself into who He wants me to be, but I need to allow Him to do that in me.
On Sunday morning right now we are having a before-service class on John 17. One of the things we are trying to understand is God's glory. It is very important to understand what that means, in part because of Rom 8:29-30. The NLT says, 29 For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.
I am meant, once I come into right-standing with God through Jesus to be the same kind of person He was so others will know Him. If I just tell others about Him that does not show His glory, but if I live in His ways from my heart, that does show who He is, or show His glory. I can only do that by knowing Him, and that only comes as I seek Him.
The good thing is that He says if I do seek to know Him, He will come. When the body of Christ seeks Him as the Body and not just as individuals, He says He will fill us with His glory. That is a very good and a very sobering thing. I want to be like Him as much as possible personally, but I also want to see us like Him as the Body. The next time I will talk more about that. In the meantime, God bless you as you seek to know Him even more.
1 comment:
Our pastor was preaching about godliness on Sunday. And he gave an illustration using his four kids.
They have a toy set they are particularly fond of playing with together, but it has lots of little pieces. So he says, "Don't play with that toy" and leaves the room. If he comes back and they are all playing with the toys, he will say "What did I say?" And they will say "Don't play with that toy." And will he say, "OH, good job!! I'm so glad you remembered what I said. Way to go! You guys are such good children. You must love me very much to remember what I said!"
No! That's ludicrous. No parent would praise a child just for remembering what was said, and not doing it. In the same way, we aren't supposed to just memorize God's Word, but to do it. Struck me in particular, as I have SO much of the Bible memorized. Seems like you're saying a similar thing here.
Bless you Barb. I miss you. :D ClaireElaine
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