Too Little, Too Late

Early the next morning they set out for the highest point

in the hill country, saying,

'Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised.

Surely we have sinned!'"

Numbers 14:40

The land promised to them by God was filled with good things; grapes larger than they could ever imagine, luscious pomegranates, scrumptious figs.  All in all, it was just as God had said:  It was a land flowing with milk and honey.  

Unfortunately, it was also a land occupied by imposing giants, powerful tribes of threatening people and fortified cities.  In light of the bad news, the Israelites chose to ignore the good news and forget the power of the Almighty, His constant presence and faithful deliverance.  They chose to grumble against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for leading them to this place where they would surely die.  (Numbers 13-14)

The Israelites saw the error of their ways and attempted to go to this land promised to them by their faithful God.  They decided it would be better for them to obey later rather than never.  God, however, had already struck down the men who had come back with the bad report and declared that the rest of the unfaithful, wicked community would never set foot in the promised land. (Numbers 14:36-38)  Their show of faith was too little and came too late.

How often I do the same.  I know God wants me to trust Him, yet the cares of this world get in the way.  How can I avoid stubbornly taking advantage of God's grace by refusing to accept the good He has for me now, even if that good seems to be wrapped up in a package of suffering, hard times and difficulty?

Stop Complaining

Murphy's Law is a 20th Century saying that states simply, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."  This pessimistic point-of-view often frequented my lips as I navigated life with little faith and a worldly mindset.  As I grew closer to God, however, He showed me that my focus on the negative was a form of complaining.  I completely missed all the good because I concentrated so much on the bad.

It is easy to get caught up in a cycle of grumbling.  I live in a fallen world that is filled with difficulties and hard times.  When I choose to see only the negative, however, I am completely missing all the good that God has placed all around me.

I fall sick and I wonder if I'll ever catch a break, thinking only about the work I'll miss or the ministries I'll let down in my absence.  Meanwhile, I'm missing the point that God is forcing me to slow down and take some time to rest from my hectic schedule.  Instead of rejoicing in the fact that I have a Father who looks out for my welfare, I whine and moan about my so-called bad luck.

Other times I may struggle with paying the bills, feeling sorry for myself that I work so hard but can barely eke out a living.  Meanwhile, I'm missing the faith-building opportunity to trust my Father who knows my needs and provides in ways that reveals His power and sovereignty.  (Matthew 6:32-33)  Instead of praising God for His good provision, I object to living in a constant state of strain.

Then there are the times I seem to be living in a perpetual state of grieving as I lose one loved one after another.  I wonder what God has against me that He would take so many away at once.  Meanwhile, I'm missing the chance to experience the comfort only the Father of compassion can give as I rest in His loving arms.  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)  Instead of soaking in His grace and mercy so that I can later use it to comfort others who are suffering, I complain about my bad state of affairs.

True faith sees the good that comes from God mixed in with all the bad.

Stop Assuming

She had never seen things happen this way.  The angel told her she would bear a child, but she had never been with a man.  It would have been easy for Mary to doubt the angel Gabriel's message based on her past experience and knowledge of how things usually work.  Instead, she believed the Word sent straight from God and trusted that everything would happen as the angel had said it would.  (Luke 1:26-38)

I often jump to conclusions, assuming if something seems impossible, then it won't happen.  If the doctor says there is no hope, I tend to agree with him, forgetting that I worship a God of the impossible.  (Matthew 6:26)  

If I watch my child travel down a road headed away from the Lord, I may think he's never coming back, forgetting that I worship a God who specializes in changing hearts.  (Ezekiel 36:26)  

If I lose my dream job, it's hard for me to imagine there could be anything better, forgetting that I worship a God who holds the blueprint of my life in His hands.  (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

True faith sees a way where there seems to be none.

Stop Fearing

She lived in a constant state of fear, worrying about the safety of her children, fretting over the darkness of this world, refusing to submit to God's calling to use her in a way that took her out of her comfort zone.  Fear paralyzed this woman to the point where God no longer ruled her life.

I live in a world with much to fear.  Terrorists seek to destroy freedom-loving people everywhere.  Killers hunt for their next victim.  Rapists stalk unsuspecting women.  Financial ruin threatens my sense of security.  If I'm not careful, fear can hamper my faith, rendering me useless in God's kingdom.

Instead, I can choose to believe that if God is for me, who could be against me? (Romans 8:31) Many could try to thwart my efforts, or steal my peace, or stand in my way, but God is bigger than all.  Even my Enemy whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy has no power against the One who created him out of nothing.  (John 10:10)

We were not created to live in fear.  (Romans 8:14-15)  Instead, we were made to walk with our Shepherd who loves us and will never let us come to ruin.  (Psalm 23, Psalm 55:22)  While Satan loves it when I am paralyzed by fear, God gave me a spirit of power, love and self-discipline to propel me through the darkness.  (2 Timothy 1:7)  I must choose to walk in this strength, however;  it does not come naturally to my weak and lowly flesh to turn away from the temptation to fear.

True faith sees only God's power and sovereignty in the midst of a world filled with frightening possibilities.

The Israelites were standing on the cusp of the Promised Land, so close to grabbing hold of the good things God had stored up for His people.  Instead, they chose to doubt, complaining and grumbling about the hardship of the path God had chosen for them.  When they finally did agree to comply, their feeble attempts to obey after the fact were too little, too late.  To avoid falling into this same trap, I must be careful to walk by faith, looking for the good mixed in with the bad, believing there is a way when circumstances seem impossible to navigate, and seeing only the hand of my mighty God in the midst of a dark and scary world.  In these ways, I will walk by faith not by sight, and please my Father who is always by my side.  

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to turn away from fear.

When do I make it a habit to live in a state of ingratitude by feeling sorry for myself?

How am I revealing my lack of faith by losing hope too soon? 

God of Forethought

"When you enter the land 

the LORD has promised to give you,

you will continue to observe this ceremony. 

Then your children will ask,

'What does this ceremony mean?'

And you will reply,

'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD,

for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt.

And though he struck the Egyptians,

he spared our families.'

When Moses had finished speaking,

all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped."

Exodus 12:25-27 NLT

The woman worried as she watched her husband suffer in pain.  He had been through a bizarre motorcycle accident which left him with two broken feet, a sore shoulder and some scrapes and bruises.  Through the days he lay enduring the agony, she sat at his bedside, comforting him as best she could.  Inside, she was wondering how she would care for him at home, how long it would be before the swelling would go down enough so the surgeon could repair the fractures, and when the pain would subside.  So much unknown.

While this woman knew enough about God to realize a fraction of His power, she was still learning of His immense sovereignty.  Therefore, when the good news came a few days later that her beloved husband would be going home that week and that surgery was no longer necessary, she couldn't help but say, "God is good."

Yes, God is good all the time, even in the midst of the worst, while the pain is at its height, or when I don't know how I will get through the day.  God is always good.  (James 1:17)  God is also a God of forethought and planning.  In the same way that He knows what tomorrow will bring for me personally, He also had the foresight to plan for my salvation long before I came into existence.  There is no greater picture of this long-term vision than in the story of the Passover.

Slavery

Since the time of Joseph, the offspring of Jacob had been living in Egypt.  For 430 years, God's people had been living in this foreign land, much of it spent as slaves to the kings who ruled there.  As time went on, those in bondage cried out to the God of their fathers, seeking rescue from their suffering.

In God's perfect timing, He sent Moses as the mode of rescue for His people.  In the same way that the people who were identified as God's precious possession needed rescue from the oppression of the Egyptians (Exodus 3:7-10), so the ones who bear His image suffer under a different kind of bondage and require a similar kind of salvation.

Sin holds each man captive to death and destruction. (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23)  In the same way that the Israelites were incapable of saving themselves from the cruel chains of Pharaoh, so I am completely at the mercy of my own sin, unable to free myself from the death sentence under which I suffer. (Romans 6:23)  While the people of Israel needed a rescuer to release them from the burden of slavery, so I need a savior to free me from my body of sin and death. 

How can I ever have hope when I am completely incapable of breaking free from my very flesh which puts me in opposition to God?(Romans 5:10) 

In the same way that God's people of old were slaves to Egypt, so we are slaves to sin.

Salvation

The plagues came fast and heavy, devastating the land of Egypt.  All the water turned to blood; frogs, gnats and flies infested the earth; an outbreak of disease killed all the livestock while boils devastated the people; hail and locusts destroyed crops and vegetation; darkness so thick it could be felt frightened the inhabitants. (Exodus 7-12)  There was no doubt God was sending a strong message to Pharaoh.

Nothing, however, compared to what was to come.  Death was about to enter every household in Egypt.  If the Israelites hoped to be saved from the work of the destroying angel, they would need protection from the inevitable.  Without salvation, each family would suffer the loss of their firstborn.

It is no different with me.  My sin earns me death.  I cannot escape the inevitable.  My destination is eternal separation from a holy God and everlasting punishment for my disobedience to His perfect law.  I'm doomed. (Romans 6:23)

In the same way that God's people of old were in need of protection from the wrath of God, so I need salvation from the wages my sins earn.

Blood

It seemed like a strange ritual, but each of God's people obeyed, sobered to the point of obedience by the destruction that surrounded them in the land of Egypt.  They each slaughtered the perfect year-old male sheep or goat they had set aside from the rest of the flocks, careful to follow the directions Moses had given them.  Setting aside some blood in a basin, each family dipped a bundle of hyssop branches into the warm liquid and brushed it on top of the door frame as well as on either side. (Exodus 12:21-23) 

As the LORD passed through the land that night, the blood was a sign to Him that the destroying angel could pass over that home.  All the houses without the protection of the blood suffered the death of their firstborn, both human and animal.  Loud wailing rose through the land as not one Egyptian family avoided tragedy.

In the same way that the blood of the Passover lamb protected the Israelites from the wrath of God, so the blood of the perfect Lamb of God shields those who enter under its protection by faith. (John 1:29)

Jesus, without sin himself, became sin so that I might live through His sacrifice, becoming the very righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21)  Even though I have no hope of pleasing God in my own effort, the blood of Jesus makes it possible to do so.  I have been reconciled to the One who created me for relationship with Him.  While sin broke that bond, the blood of Jesus repaired it forever. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ my Lord who came to set me free from the law of sin and death!  (Romans 7:24-25)

In the same way that God's people of old were saved by the blood of the Passover lamb, so I am saved for eternity by the blood of Jesus.

The Lord is a God of forethought.  He knew of my bondage to sin, my need for a Savior, and that the blood of His perfect Son would be the only way to shield me from His wrath.  Nowhere is this more perfectly illustrated than in the story of the Passover, where God saw the suffering in slavery of His people, sent a savior named Moses to rescue them, and protected His people from certain death by the blood of a flawless lamb.  Since He is such a God of forethought, I can not only put my faith in Jesus Christ who is at the center of His plan of salvation, but I can trust Him to orchestrate my life with perfect foresight.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can put my faith in the God who has my future in His hands.

When do I worry because I'm afraid of the unknown, forgetting that God sees all?

How have I failed to trust God implicitly? 

Lessons of Faith (Part Four)

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

the conviction of things not seen."

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Her conviction remains strong even though there is no evidence to back up her beliefs.  Nine months ago, her precious daughter had been cruelly and viciously abducted from her home by an evil man.  Despite the fact that most people, including law enforcement officials, assume her child is dead, this mother walks forward in faith, believing without a doubt that her child is waiting to be found and brought home, whole and undamaged.

Faith is not based on what I see around me, what makes sense or what can be proven.  Instead, faith is belief in the integrity of God, knowing that He can handle the full weight of my circumstances and that He has a beautiful plan that will bring glory to Himself and good for me, His child.

Today is the final installment in a four-part series looking into the people listed in the Hall of Fame of Faith found in Hebrews 11.  Let's see what we can learn from them today.

Choose Christ

He had a choice. Even though he had been raised in the luxurious palace as Pharaoh's own pampered grandson, it didn't feel like home.  Moses knew his real place was among the people of his blood: The slaves known as the nation of Israel.  Anyone who cared a whit about their own comfort and pleasure would not even consider leaving such extravagance.  Moses, however, had his attention fixed on something greater. (Hebrews 11:24-26 NLT)

Faith is not just an internal belief that stays in my brain.  For it to truly be considered faith, it must move to my hands and feet, initiating some kind of action, decision or change in behavior. (James 2:14-17)  Just as Moses left his cushy life to identity himself with God's people, then departed the only place he'd ever known to escape the wrath of the Pharaoh (Hebrews 11:27) only to later return and follow God's specific Passover instructions (v 28), my faith must also result in making a choice for God.

There are a large variety of distractions and enticements that can lure me away from God.  Sometimes it's worldly ways of thinking that fascinate and intrigue.  Other times I'm easily sucked into recreational pursuits that end up becoming time consuming passions.  Or I can get distracted from God by a desire to run after my own selfish dreams.  Whatever is diverting my attention at this moment, I must choose Christ if I want to walk with Him in all my ways.

A lesson I can learn from Moses is to choose Christ over everything else that works to lure me away from Him.

Follow God

Talk about being between a rock and a hard place; on one side of the retreating multitudes stood the enormous Red Sea, on the other, the Pharaoh's chariots threateningly advanced, leaving Moses and his people no possibility of retreat. (Exodus 14)  The Israelites felt certain they had met their doom.

God had a plan about which His people knew nothing.  This plan defied the laws of nature and blew the minds of the millions present, both Jewish and Egyptian.  In order for this strategy to work, however, the people would need to follow God into the unknown territory of walking on the bottom of a large lake while He parted the waters on either side of them. ( Hebrews 11:29)

While this may seem to be the most miraculous of feats performed by God, the next generation of Israelites would witness another such event as they finally entered into the promised land 40 years later.  God gave Joshua, the new leader, a series of instructions that the people were to follow explicitly.  While walking around the fortified city of Jericho and blowing trumpets seemed mundane and ridiculous, they soon saw the power of God as the walls crashed down upon completion of these harmless commands. (Joshua 6)

In order for either of these miracles to have made it into the history books, God's people had to trust the Lord enough to follow Him into unknown territory.  I, too, am expected to trust God enough to do as He says, even if I don't see how it will work out or if the instructions don't make sense to me.  

I am asked to forgive the cruel and vindictive, love the mean and hateful, and go after those from whom I'd rather run away.  God's ways are higher than my own, putting me in the position of obeying God without expecting to know "the how" or "the why." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

A lesson I can learn from the people of Israel is to follow God even into unknown or new territory, showing my trust in His plan.

Stand Courageously

She took in the invaders, hid them on her roof, lied to the king's men and diverted the focus of the search away from their whereabouts.  At risk to her own life, Rahab took a stand against evil, even though the source of darkness was the leader of her own people.  She turned against the people she had known all her life and embraced two foreigners that claimed God as their leader.  Knowing the fear that melted the heart of her people of this mighty God who had dried up the waters of the Red Sea, she desired to be on His side more than to stay loyal to her own. (Joshua 2)

It takes courage to go against the flow and take a stand at risk of my own life.  While I haven't had to face death, I do face ridicule, embarrassment or job loss when I go out on a limb for God. Sometimes it means being on the outside of a group because I stand up for godly values, or enduring harsh treatment at work after I share my faith, or experiencing a shunning from those I thought were my friends when I share the truth found in God's Word round the water cool about abortion or gay marriage.

A lesson I can learn from Rahab is to cultivate my faith in God instead of my fear of what people may do.  (Romans 8:31)

Taking a step of faith in obedience to God doesn't always make sense to my way of thinking.  God, however, has a plan I know nothing about so I can choose Christ over that which tempts me, follow God into unknown territory and stand courageously even when it costs me something.  These are some of the lessons I learn from studying people of great faith.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stop trying to understand and see into the future, simply trusting God instead.

How do I hold myself back because I want the details of how everything will play out?

When do I choose my own comfort or stability instead of Christ?

Faithfulness of God

"For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ

with a resounding 'Yes!'  

And through Christ,

our 'Amen' (which means 'Yes')

ascends to God for his glory.

It is God who enables us,

along with you,

to stand firm for Christ.

He has commissioned us,

and he was identified us as his own

by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts

as the first installment that guarantees

everything he has promised us."

2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NLT

Track Record.  I usually know whether or not I can depend on someone based upon their past behavior.  Some are dependable, others are flaky and forgetful.  Behavior betrays one's faithfulness.

I can always count on God as recorded in His Word.  "I will proclaim the name of the LORD.  Oh, praise the greatness of our God!  He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."  (Deuteronomy 32:3-4)

When all around me seems unstable and unsure, I can stand on the Solid Rock.  Even when I don't know the answers, God holds the blueprint for my life in the palm of his hand.  In the times when I feel I can't trust myself, let alone those around me, I can trust God.  

Why can I put all my eggs in God's basket?  It is because He possesses a flawless track record.

Abraham

The years past by and hope turned to dust; dry and lifeless like the rocky land in which he lived. I want to believe God, but how long must a wait for a child?  I'm an old man. . . maybe I was hallucinating.  Maybe God wants me to do something to make His promise happen.  Maybe I imagined the whole thing.  

Abraham and Sarah had to wait over 25 years before the promise God made in Genesis 12 was fulfilled; the promise that, ". . all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. . " and, "To your offspring I will give this land." (v3, 7)

Finally, when Abraham reached 100 years of age, Isaac was born; the promise had been fulfilled.  God has His own timetable and it has nothing to do with me.  If I'm going to trust Him I must not bind Him with the parameters of time.  

I often grow weary of waiting; for things to get better, for relationships to be healed, for hardened hearts to soften.  As one who follows a faithful God, I know that I can trust Him to do as He has said He will do.  He will finish what He has started, bind the brokenhearted and work a miracle in a heart.  He is able. . . if I am willing to wait on Him.

God is faithful to keep His promises. . . on His timetable.

Joseph

It all started with a dream.  He foolishly and arrogantly shared the dream with his brothers of all their sheaves of wheat bowing down to his.  Soon, he found himself the victim of his brother's cruel jealousy, sold into slavery and on his way to Egypt to become the slave of Pharaoh's captain of the guard.  

As if this wasn't bad enough, despite the position of trust he had risen to in the house of Potiphar, he soon found himself imprisoned due to a false charge by his master's wife.  Years later, God enabled him to interpret the Pharaoh's dream, landing him a position as second in command in all of Egypt.  After 13 years of unfair circumstances and undeserved treatment, Joseph had risen to an unimaginable level.  As he later said to his brothers when they were reunited, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."  (Genesis 50:20)

You see, Joseph's life seemed like one big tragedy, but because of the foresight revealed by Pharaoh's dream, the prophecy from a boy's long ago dream came true.  And through Joseph's position of power, God was able to use him to prepare a country for a famine that no one else knew was coming.  Soon, all would come to Egypt looking for grain.  Even his brothers would bow before him out of desperation.

I often feel like life has not been fair to me or those around me.  I work hard and try to do the best I can, but I can't seem to catch a break.  I lose my job.  I am falsely accused.  I am taken to court.  The car breaks down, the roof springs a leak and my knee goes out all in the same week.  When will things get better?

Even though life is harsh and circumstances seem unfair, God has a way of taking something bad and using it for the good.  He has a knack for utilizing weak and broken people for powerful and restorative acts.  The Lord can turn the tables in a heartbeat, leaving observers with a serious case of whiplash.

The Apostle Paul reassured us with the thought that, "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Joseph's purpose was ultimately to provide a way for the Israelites to enter into slavery in Egypt, thus opening a need for delivery in a way that would showcase God's great power and proclaim His name throughout all the earth. 

Who knows what plan God has for my life. . . or for your life?  Future generations could be affected by circumstances that I am going through right now.  My ancestors might benefit from the fruit that is produced from my heartache.  A seed that is planted right now in the midst of my trouble could sprout and grow for many to see in years yet to come.

Putting my trust in a faithful God means leaving the outcome up to Him, no matter how unfair circumstances now may seem.

Messiah

"He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."  (Isaiah 53:5)

"You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay."  (Psalm 16:10)

"The LORD ways to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.' (Psalm 110:1)

Generations of Jews studied these, along with many other prophecies, as they awaited the coming of their Messiah; their promised deliverer.  When would He come?  How will He vanquish our enemies?  How long must we wait?  They must have quivered with excitement of the prospect of their liberation.  

God did fulfill these prophecies in the Person of Jesus Christ.  He died on the cross, taking the punishment for my sins and giving me a peace with God through faith in Him.  He rose again on the third day, illustrating His victory over death.  He is now seated at the right hand of God as the conqueror of the power and consequences of sin in my life.  All mankind is liberated from the death sentence our sin deserves.  

From the moment when Adam first sinned and the state of mankind fell from it's original design, we have been estranged from God.  In that one instant on the cross, the relationship was restored and the impossible once again became possible.  The imperfect is reunited with the Perfect One.  The unholy can abide with the Holy One.  The estranged is brought back together with the Beloved.

If God can accomplish the impossible task of redeeming my hopeless, sinful soul, then I can certainly trust God with everything in my life.

It is not easy to trust those who let us down, but because of God's faithfulness to keep His promises, I can stand firm on His strong foundation.  The constricts of time, harsh circumstances or impossible tasks do not get in His way.  His will prevails. . . of this I can be certain.   

This is the God on Whom I will stake my life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember all that God has done to help me believe in all that He will do.

How do I get bogged down in the difficulties and forget that His plan can use those troubles?

When would it benefit me to remember the impossible task of redemption that Jesus accomplished on the cross?

Distracted by the Dust

"Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey

so that it may go well with you

and that you may increase greatly in a land

flowing with milk and honey,

just as the LORD,

the God of your ancestors, promised you.

  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

 Love the LORD your God with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your strength.

These commandments that I give you today

are to be on your hearts."

Deuteronomy 6:3-6

The dust would be enough to get me.  The dry, gritty dirt everywhere. . . in my cooking pots, in my clothing, in my bedding, in my food, in my eyes.  The relentless hot wind blowing the stuff around, making cleaning an exercise in futility.  It would get under my skin after awhile.

The Israelites lived in tents under these kind of conditions as they received the above commandment from the Lord who brought them out of slavery in Egypt.  I can understand the constant relapse by the Israelites into an attitude of ingratitude and grumbling.  It happens to me all the time.

I complain about my hard life, how I'm busy from before the sun comes up until well after the day is done.  I am disappointed in the balance in my checking account compared to the pile of bills laying before me, waiting to be paid.  I gripe about my lack of imagination when it comes to preparing meals, I'm just tired of the same old thing.  I whine about not getting enough sleep.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not whining out loud.  All this bad attitude can be found in my heart. 

So, I can relate to the plight of the Israelites.  As easy as it is to criticize them and judge them, in reality I would behave in the same manner if I were in their shoes. 

God has chosen me to be one of His own; an adopted part of the nation of Israel by faith in Jesus Christ.  And as His child, He has called me to obey Him.  Not out of duty or fear, but out of love for Him.  But most of the time my heart has not love for Him. Rather, I am distracted by all the "dust."

Love God with All my Heart

Shakespeare coined the phrase, "In my heart of heart," for Hamlet, to mean in my heart's core, or in the most tender part of my heart.  As the seat of my emotions, the heart is a vulnerable place.  It is easy to harden my heart in order to protect it's susceptibility to injury. 

God calls me to love Him with all my heart, even with the most tender part.  If I were to completely let down my guard with God, my grumbling would be gone and I would experience contentment no matter where He placed me, or what circumstance I find myself because I would understand that He is all I need. 

My heart needs God.  He created my heart to love Him.  When I take God lightly, treating Him as a genie or a vending machine, only going to Him with things I want and need,  I jeopardize my heart.  Proverbs 28:14 reminds me that, " Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble."

Loving God with all my heart means trusting Him with the deepest part of me.



 Loving God with all my Soul

When I think of my soul, I think of the part of me that makes me who I am.  It is the part of me that will live eternally with Jesus.  My soul is the real me.

Loving God with all of me is hard.  I hold back many areas which I am not ready to surrender.  I am afraid if I love Him with abandon, He may ask me to do something which I am not comfortable doing.   Far be it from me to get out of my comfort zone!

Loving God with my soul means putting His plan, His will, His commandments above myself and desiring only that which is important to Him. 

People are important to God.  He created us in His image, and as image bearers, we are of the most value out of all His creation.  To be honest, I don't treat all of His most treasured as cherished.  Instead, I tend to treat others as a means to an end. 

If I'm on the phone with a foreign tech support agent who can't understand the technical issue I am having with my computer, it is easy for me to treat him disrespectfully out of frustration.  Or when I'm late for an appointment and another driver cuts me off, slowing down my forward progress and putting my life at stake, I may not harbour loving feelings toward that person.

Loving all of God's image bearers means that I am placing God at the forefront of my life as my Lord instead of placing myself in that position. 

Loving God with all my soul means treating others with love.

Loving God with all my Mind

My mind is constantly working; analyzing data, formulating strategies, reviewing endless lists, not to mention solving problems.  It is hard to quiet my mind. 

I could harness this analytical capacity and use it to study God and His Word, getting to know Him better.  While I believe there is great value in this exercise, I think there is a better way to love God with all my mind.

God says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,  I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)  When I quiet my mind and focus my thoughts on God, I am reminded that He is supreme.  He is above all things.  He is the highest.

When I calm my thoughts, all things are put back into perspective and God rises to the pinnacle of my priorities.  He is Lord.

Loving God with all my mind means stilling my thoughts and knowing the magnitude of God.

I am easily distracted by all the difficulties of life, but God calls me to love Him.  By trusting Him with my heart of heart, loving all His image bearers, and quieting my mind, I can love Him with all my heart, soul and mind.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can quiet my mind and know that the Lord is my God.

In what way do I let annoyances and irritations distract me from loving God?

How do I shield my heart of heart from God?