Jeremiah 2:2 (RSV)
Thus says the Lord,
“I remember the devotion of your youth . . .”
Oswald Chambers said it well:
(My Utmost for His Highest, Jan.21)
“Am I as spontaneously kind to God as I used to be, or am I only expecting God to be kind to me? Does everything in my life fill His heart with gladness, or do I constantly complain because things don’t seem to be going my way? A person who has forgotten what God treasures will not be filled with joy.”
Remember. And be filled with joy.
There are days when I am cranky and short-tempered. I can throw an impressive tantrum. Once I calm down, I hear God’s question:
Is this how you want to be remembered?
No, Lord, NO!
How do you want to be remembered?
Philippians 4:9 (CEV)
You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example.
Paul urged the Philippians to remember what he taught them. He also told them to remember what he said and did–and to do likewise.
What will your children and grandchildren remember about you? Envision them saying and doing exactly what you have said and done. Would that be good for their souls?
We forget. God knows it. That’s why he established the annual Passover celebration (Exodus 12). That’s why 12 Jordan River stones became a memorial (Joshua 4). The reason? So that children would ask why? and the stories could be retold.
On Memorial Day, my grandmother picked buckets of flowers and placed arrangements on her loved ones’ graves. Her grandchildren helped. I must have asked why? because I remember her answer: “To show our love and respect.”
It’s Memorial Day. Show your love and respect. Why? To tell the stories.
I drove to work yesterday morning with the window down and the heater on. It was chilly, but I didn’t want to miss the scent of the honeysuckle along the roadside.
Do our prayers carry a scent to our Lord? Let’ s imagine . . .
Whining smells like spoiled milk.
Bitterness smells like skunk.
Adoration smells like honeysuckle.
May your prayers be sweet.
The requests I make of God conspicuously outnumber my expressions of love for God.
I have the opportunity to talk with the Creator of the universe, the eternal Source of life and light, the Fount of all wisdom–and somehow I make the conversation all about me! Really?
You probably know the song, Jesus Loves Me. How about this additional verse?
“I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus likes to hear me say,
That I love Him every day!”
I couldn’t track this back to the author. Whoever you are, thank you for the great advice!
Philippians 2:10-11 (NIV)
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Sooner or later, we will all adore Christ. Why not make it sooner?
Who (what) do you adore?
We sing, “Come, let us adore him” over the Babe in the manger. What about Christ the teacher and healer, Christ on the cross, Christ on the throne? What about the heavenly Father and the holy Spirit?
In Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer writes:
“Just now we happen to be living in a secular age. Our thought habits are those of the scientist, not those of the worshipper. We are more likely to explain than to adore.”
Come, adore God.
Sometimes I wonder if severe weather demonstrates God’s wrath, warning us to turn from our wicked ways. Could be, I suppose.
But God sent me down a different thought line. His words to me, more or less:
Bad weather isn’t punishment, it’s the norm. I hold my hand between you and it, blessing and protecting you. It’s my gift.
There are people who insist that they don’t want what I offer. Every now and then I remove my hand, just to give all of you a taste of life without divine intervention.
Let’s be careful what we wish for.
