THE GLORIOUS HOPE OF A BETTER LIFE!

BIBLE PASSAGE:
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens.
(Psalm 8:1)

MEDITATION:
Would you agree that life can become exhausting and exasperating?
Each person has their own individual concept of the ideal living
environment, and even though we may have different versions,
most all of us would include things like peace, joy, happiness, love,
caring for and helping each other, etc.

However, as long as sin is in the world, there will always
be problems of varying degrees. It can become difficult
to understand the level of evilness in the minds and
actions of some people.

But too often we tend to overlook the failures in ourselves.
When compared to Jesus, we see the dirtiness in us that we
view in other people. In the eyes of other people, our sins
may be undetectable and unnoticed, but we know of the
presence of sin in our lives and the frustrations we experience
when trying to overcome them.

God knows of our weaknesses and our desire to please Him in
all we do. At the same time, He knows how sin tempts us, how
it causes us to succumb to its alluring promise of pleasure, how
it can damage our relationship with Him, how it can discourage
us and cause life problems for us, and how it can prevent us from
increasing our joy of living.

Sometimes our troubles are a result of sin in the lives of others,
but there are times when our own sin creates problems for us,
and others. Each time we exceed the boundaries established by
God, we can experience a discouragement that we will never be
victorious over temptations.

Paul, a man driven to serve the Lord in spite of the persecution
he received from others, knew how sin could cause feelings of
hopeless defeat.
    What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue
    me from this body that is subject to death?
    (Romans 7:24)

At the same time, Paul knew where to find deliverance
from any feelings of hopelessness.
    Thanks be to God, who delivers
    me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
    (Romans 7:25a)

The Bible gives us many lists of the things we should develop
and nourish in our own lives. Things like love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. When our minds are focused on these ‘good’
things, we have less room for temptations to infiltrate our
thoughts which adversely affect our lives.

The good news is, God has created a new home for those who love
Him and who strive to resist temptations in their efforts to please
Him. Our efforts to obey Him are not limited to avoiding the things
that displease Him, but also include an ‘active’ desire to do the things
that will please Him.

One definition of ‘glory’ is, “magnificence, or great beauty”.
Although the minds of men and women cannot fathom the
magnitude of what God has created in Heaven, we know it
will be overwhelming because God has prepared it. It is this
faith and great hope that inspires us to praise His majestic
Name!

ACTION:
Which one is leading in the battle for control of your mind,
and ultimately you? Is it the dirtiness of sin and its temptations,
or is it a desire to obey the Lord through obedience, and an effort
to develop the characteristics and attitudes outlined in His Word?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for the hope You have given
to those who love You and strive to obey Your commands.
Although I cannot imagine the magnificence of what You
have prepared, I know it will be overwhelming and it is why
I, like the psalmist, proclaim how majestic is Your Name in
all the earth! Thank You for Your plan of salvation and for
the blood of Jesus that hides my dirtiness from Your sight.
Thank You, Jesus, for genuinely loving me so much that
You suffered death on the cross for me, and everyone else
in the world! Father, I pray that You would guide me in
developing the characteristics You have outlined in Your
Word.”

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