BIBLE PASSAGE:
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone
who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards
those who earnestly seek Him.
(Hebrews 11:6)
MEDITATION:
Have you ever misplaced something that you personally valued?
It may have been something that seemed insignificant to someone
else, but it was something you cherished. Do you remember how
diligently (and maybe frantically) you searched until you found it?
Do you remember the peace and joy you felt when you found it?
This is what the scriptures mean when they say we are rewarded
by God Himself, whenever we seek Him in the same way we do
other things of value. Why? Because He is the most valuable
possession we could ever have!
Think back to when you were a child and you had a moment of fear.
You were scared but you knew that if you could just find your father,
you would feel safe again.
You may have frantically searched for him; you may have shouted out
his name; you may have screamed, “Where are you daddy?”. You knew
he was ‘somewhere’, but you needed him beside you, right then! Do you
remember the reward of peace you felt when he was near you?
That’s a good illustration of how we should be seeking God. We need Him
beside us so everything will be okay and we can find peace. When we find
Him, we can expect a reward – it may be just the smile that is brought to
our face, or it could be much more if we are going through a difficult time.
Just like our earthly dads are usually around us somewhere, God is also
available and near to us when we call out His name.
Fathers have a major responsibility to the children God has given us.
Each child is a blessing from God. Our children should see a glimpse
of their Heavenly Father in us. We should love our children during the
times when they seem unlovable.
We should forgive our children when they have hurt us in ways that seem
unforgivable. We need to encourage and lift their spirits whenever possible.
We should take the initiative to reconcile (reunite) with our children when
something has caused a gap in our relationship with them.
The list could go on and on, but the important point to remember is:
‘We should do these things with our children
because that’s how our Heavenly Father treats us.’
Our life is a walk of faith, which means everything we do, say, and
think, must be influenced by our faith in Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we have been encouraged to have a total faith in our Lord.
Take no thought for tomorrow . . . for your
Heavenly Father knows that you have need
of all these things
(Matthew 6:32, 34)
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will direct your paths
(Proverbs 3:6)
Commit your works to the Lord
and your thoughts will be established
(Proverbs 16:3)
Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him,
and He shall bring it to pass
(Psalm 37:5)
True faith has two steps:
(1) submitting our will to God
(2) then placing it in His hands
We begin this walk of faith by rejecting our personal desires so
we can allow God’s will to be our primary desire. We become
indifferent to ourselves and totally focused on God. We commit
ourselves to what the Lord wants in all things, no matter what
they are, where they come from, or how they affect our life.
Faith is forgetting our past, leaving the future in God’s hands, and
devoting the present fully and completely to Him. The walk of faith
is a walk of self-denial. The walk of faith is a walk that will give us
a better understanding of the very meaning and essence of life.
The walk of faith begins just like a child learns to walk – with
stumbling and falling, but with total confidence that we will be
able to stand and walk in the way God desires and has planned
for us.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares
the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.
(Jeremiah 29:11)
God will provide for those who seek Him.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no
good thing.
(Psalm 34:10)
ACTION:
Questions to consider:
– When was the last time I earnestly sought the Lord?
– Do I seek Him daily?
– Who is in control of my life – God, or me?
– How much do I deny ‘self’, so I can follow God’s will?
– How often do I ignore God’s will in favor of my own desires?
– What is my level of commitment to the Lord?
– Have I proven my faith and trust in the Lord by obeying
His command to tithe (not stealing from God but returning
to Him what is rightfully His)?
“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In
tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your
whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring
the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may
be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord
Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates
of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will
not be room enough to store it.
(Malachi 3:8-10)
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your constant availability.
I realize that when I have trouble finding You, I am the one
who has moved, and not You. Help me to deny myself more
each day so I will have more room for You in my thoughts,
words, and actions. I want to receive the rewards I have been
missing because of my selfishness.”
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