God

Just some thoughts about God, His nature or character.

• Supreme over all - able and active in the world
• Bringing down the proud, greedy, 'important,' power-hungry
• Raising up, satisfying, sustaining, 'seeing' the lowly, humble, needy, the 'nobodies'
• Merciful - not only wanting to forgive, to help, to heal, but providing the legal means to deal with sin in order to be merciful and remain just
• He speaks - not some distant unknowable deity who remains invisible, untouchable, impersonal.  He speaks in personal words, whispers, stories, songs, love songs, sometimes warnings and discipline, but always personal.
• It isn't about living a 'godly' lifestyle, or doing great deeds, it is (His will for us is) about KNOWING Him, about listening to His heart and doing what He says because we love Him.
• He wants us to know and love Him, and He wants us to see more clearly the reality of life, the true values, the real weights and measures, what is really important, what really matters.

Just some of my random thoughts about our God.  

On my way home last night, I heard the following verse: "And in the 39th year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. 2 Chron. 16:12

Now before you get upset with me, I am not advocating the avoidance of all doctors!!

But it spoke to me of how often I neglect seeking the Lords help in my needs. I know that I am so slow to turn to God. I have this sense that whatever the issue is, it's my own fault, my sin, my lack of self-control, my carelessness, and so on and so forth. I think, if it is my fault, my failure, how can I ask the Lord to help me?

But isn't that exactly the point. I am weak! Maybe the lie is NOT that "I can't do it." It isn't that it is an excuse I use because I'm too lazy. Maybe the lie is "I am strong enough, I don't need God's help. I just need to try harder, exercise more self-control, want it more, stop being lazy."

I am not advocating that we treat God like a genie in a bottle. I don't want to just sit back and have Him solve all my problems while I eat grapes. But neither do I want to deny the weakness of my flesh and refuse to ask, seek, or knock from either pride or shame.

I want to trust the Lord God to show/tell me what I need to do even as He responds to my prayers as He sees fit.

I just felt that the verse above was one more reminder to ASK for my needs rather than just seeking man-made remedies, self-control, doctors, wise-men/wise-women, etc. Doesn't mean I won't go to the doctor, but that I will perhaps put more emphasis on seeking the Lord first and foremost in all things.

Love and blessings -- Evelyn