BIBLE PASSAGE:
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
(Psalm 116:1-2)
MEDITATION:
During the Thanksgiving season, we should pause and think about
the Lord’s goodness and His blessings. When we do, we will remember
many reasons for thanking and loving Him. Just imagine for a moment:
Even though many are opposed to Him and reject His offer of eternity
with Him, He still gave His life for all.
Could we do that? Would we do that? Jesus did, and it shows the
magnitude of His love for every individual. That one act of love
also demonstrates what it looks like to obey God. Are we willing
to make ANY sacrifices in obedience to our Heavenly Father?
The Psalmist “got it”. He understood what it meant to have an
intimate relationship with the Lord. When he thought about
how the Lord “heard his voice”, “heard his cry for mercy” and
“turned His ear to him”, it reminded him of his enduring love
for the Lord.
How many of us can say that we have a respectful, comfortable,
conversational, obedient, and loving relationship with the Lord?
Do we enjoy fellowship with Him, or do we view Him as a ‘watchdog’
waiting for us to ‘mess up’ so He can punish us?
If we are only focused on His ‘discipline’, we cannot enjoy His ‘love’.
That is not to say that we ignore how He will ‘discipline the one He
loves’ (Hebrews 12:6), but that we will want to please Him because
we love Him. Our self-control is driven by our love for Him, and
not our fear of Him.
ACTION:
Do you ‘get’ what the Psalmist ‘got’? Have you developed the
relationship with the Lord that he did? Do you love the Lord
as he did? Do you ‘call on Him’ often?
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enjoy an intimate relationship
with the Lord. A good starting point is developing obedience to His
will. For most people, obedience can seem overwhelming when looking
at the big picture. But it is easier to manage when we take it one day at
a time.
Each day, make a commitment to the Lord to obey Him for that day.
Don’t think about the next day, or previous days, but only that day.
At the end of the day, if you have succeeded, you see what victory
‘feels like’. These daily ‘small’ successes will lead to ‘bigger’ successes,
and you will soon begin to see your life transformed.
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I yearn for an intimate relationship
with You. Your Word says that those who earnestly seek
You will find You. I am earnest in my desire to find You
and feel Your presence in my life. Create a confidence in
me that You are with me at all times, and that whenever
I need guidance, consolation, love, forgiveness, or anything
else, I can call on You and You will hear my voice.”
BLOG: utvolwoody.com
BREAD FOR BELIEVERS 
Discussion
No comments yet.