Sunday, March 13, 2011

March 13, 2011 … Understanding Who God Is

Passage of the Day: Ephesians 4: 1 – 2 - 1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

My Journal for Today: If you are reading this, I would hope that you have come to a humble place in your life where you have received Christ as your Savior AND Lord. In other words, as the writer here, I’m hoping that any reader here is truly “saved.” (See Rom. 10: 9 – 13) Notice I said that the entrance to this process was humility; and here we are back with this concept of “humility” again with this month of devotionals. And during this spring time, I’ve posited more than once that it’s absolutely necessary, if a believer desires to have a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, that the attitude of humility is the key that unlocks the door to God’s grace in that relationship. If you are saved, going deep into an even more abiding relationship with Christ is definitely – or should be – an overriding goal for you. However, humility should lead us to another goal which, I believe, precedes all others in the Christian life; and that is TO KNOW GOD.

John MacArthur presents the following in Strength for Today on this date: “The more we (Christians) comprehend the greatness of God, the more humble we become.” In other words, for the believer to be truly humble, he/she must have the driving desire to know the God whom he/she worships and serves. My dear Christian brother in Christ and mentor, Dr. Bob Ginn, exclaimed strongly to me many times that our primary goal in life as Christians should be to know God. So, both MacArthur and my mentor would say that striving to know God is at the heart of humility; and since all Christians desire to receive God’s grace (or I would assume so), it behooves us all to do everything we can to know God so that our posture will continually be humbled to receive His grace.

King David certainly knew his God when he declared the majesty of His Lord and the desire for fellowship with Him, in spite of the lowliness of mankind (see Psalms 8: 1, 4 below). But it is wonderful that God, in all His majesty, desires fellowship with His humble creatures, … mankind, … well, at least those who can humble themselves enough to get to know Him to let them into their lives. (see Ps. 138: 6 and Rev. 3: 20, also below)

SCRIPTURE: Ps. 8: 1, 4 ... 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, the Son of man that You care for him?
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 138: 6 ... Though the LORD is on high, He looks upon the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar.
SCRIPTURE: Rev. 3: 20 ... Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone (of My disciples) hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with Me.

God’s word is very clear that God will not extend His glory to sinful mankind. (see Is. 48: 11); but get this irony. God will extend His grace to me, a sinner … IF, and only IF, I can/will humbly received the mercy He has extended through His Son, my Savior and Redeemer, Who died so that I can be in a position to receive God’s grace. Complicated? Maybe; but it shows the critical nature of chosen humility when it comes to our desire to relate to God; and we’ve seen how we can get into that posture – i.e., by seeking to know God to the fullest extent we are capable.

So, are you with me in my quest to know my (our) God? Everyday and in every way I can, I will seek to know God as intimately as I can, pleading my humble posture in confession and contrition, as a surrendered sinner, so that He, my Lord, will pour His promised mercy and grace into my life.
And everyday, He does!

My Prayer Today: To know You, Lord … to know You … to really know You. That is my humble desire. Amen

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