What does it take for the creator of the universe to become My God?
When I was growing up, I remember people talking to large groups of us, and sharing their journey of faith, usually with horrible tales of drugs and sex. They generally concluded with the sentiment that after all of that, they realized that God was the only one who could save them, turned to him, and were completely committed to his kingdom. These were beautiful accounts of God reaching down and meeting people where they are and bringing them out of the muck and mire.
What about me? How would Jehovah, the Almighty One, become My God? I wondered if I would just wait around and slip into the pit, then I would have a story to tell. Then I could legitimize my faith. Then I could prove to people that he was My God. Where is my story of shock and awe? Would I ever have a faith that had merit? A faith worth sharing?
Do you remember the movie, Ghost? When someone died, they either were pulled down into the earth by a black cloud or lifted into the air by the light. It was pretty easy to tell what would happen to each person before they died depending on whether or not you liked their character. If you liked them, they went to the light, if you didn’t, they went to the dark.
That’s not how it works…We all deserve the black cloud. No one can be saved except by the blood of Jesus. I am a mess of sin without his saving blood, his saving grace.
In Genesis 28, Jacob has a dream of a stairway to heaven. Angels are ascending and descending from heaven. God is at the top. God tells Jacob that he will bless him, make his descendants numerous, and be with him wherever he goes. When he awakens, Jacob says, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God.
I haven’t had a vision, or a specific blessing about my offspring, but everything I have, from the clothes I wear to the food I eat to the house in which I live, comes from God. I have been given this promise,
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:31-32
and
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”[a] 6So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?” Heb. 13:5-6
Jacob announced that the God that had been Abraham’s God and Isaac’s God, was now his God. Jacob would depend on God for everything he needed – safety, shelter, food, clothes.
My God supplies my every need. He is my God. He will never leave me or forsake me. All that I have is his and comes from his outstretched hand.
He is my God.
My daughter is in 7th grade and was ready to go to a horse show. She had applied a little make-up and fixed her hair, but the new thing she had discovered was perfume. Oh, my. For a horse show? I can handle a lot of things, but perfume gives me a roaring headache. Every time. I sent her straight to the bathroom to wash her face, neck, arms, any where she had put the perfume. We all loaded up in the truck, but I could still smell it. It was hard to breathe. I asked her if she had washed and she said she had, but she had sprayed it on her hat, because it smelled bad… We stopped the truck and she traded hats. We had to roll down the windows on the way. The smell permeated my every pore!
Did you see the movie? I would love to know what you thought. I haven’t seen the movie, but I read the book. I couldn’t put it down. It has been a while since I couldn’t get a book off of my mind. I was drawn in from the very beginning. This is my first book of Jodi Picoult’s. It will not be my last!
Fear of dying. It colors so much of my life. I don’t want to die. That’s why I go to the doctor, I buckle my seat belt, I eat my vegetables, I exercise. If I follow all the directions and rules, I just might live and live and live and….
I fret and fuss and get stressed out. However, I know that he is working in all things for my good. I have been called according to his purpose. He foreknew me, he predestined me to become like his son. He has justified me and will also glorify me. (from Romans 8:28-30)
Do you ever feel like God is not answering your prayers or worse, not even listening? I can remember as a girl asking my dad if I could go somewhere with my friends and waiting for an answer. And waiting. And waiting. My friends would poke me and try to get me to hurry him along. I knew better. I would motion for them to wait. And wait. He was thinking and would not be rushed. I would get my answer, when my dad was ready for me to have it.
At the close of an Equine Assisted Learning training last month, we were instructed to choose from a large selection of cards, refered to as Wisdom Cards, that were spread around on a table with pictures of horses. They reminded me of Elvis rugs that people sell at state fairs. The other participants were really studying these pictures. We were told to chose one, read what is on the back, think about it, and then read it aloud to the group and share what you get from the card. The trainers related stories about how meaningful this activity was. How much these cards could tell you about yourself. This sounded a little kooky to me, but I figured I would play along.
My oldest son spent several days with a buddy up at our lake house fishing and boating around, cooking the fish they had caught and just hanging out. I was really proud of his independence.
Speaking directly about those we live nearby, Solomon instructs in Proverbs:25:17,
Wouldn’t that be great…for God to act on your behalf? What must one do to have God act on his behalf? Pray without ceasing? Take a great leap of faith? Share one’s faith with a lost soul? Preach his word in foreign lands? What is the key to enlisting God’s help?
