We Will Labor

I am often reminded of the labor that we must do because of the fall. That we must work, struggle and bleed to bring forth the fruit of this world. It is easy to think of all the struggle we have daily to do what we do, but today I was given a new labor, one that I wish I had a good solution to.

Technology has given us a great many things, for me especially as working with technology is my job. But beyond the work, it also has given us the ability to do many things we couldn't before. Today, as I occasionally do, I am listening to music. I love being able to listen to my music because I can sit here doing my work and silently worshiping God. However today it has posed an interesting labor for me. Today the songs are affecting me, I want to worship God, and not quietly, but I must because I am at work and those around me don't want to hear me singing. So here I am, trying my best to do the work I must do while my heart pains me with its desires for the Lord, to worship Him, to glorify Him! So here I am fidgeting while I work, trying to worship as I can while holding it back. I have to say, there are some things I've done that are tiring, but it does not compare to wanting to worship your God and having to restrain it because you are not in a position to do so freely.

So for those of you at home, please do some extra worship to God for me because currently I'm not in a place to do so.

Delighting in the Law

I was reading Psalm 1 today and read that the blessed man finds his delight in the law of God. Thinking about this made me wonder, why? The Law of God condemns man, he finds his iniquity in the law and knows that his sure fate is condemnation. In the law we are all bound for Hell, eternal suffering, an eternity without the one whom our soul loves, the Creator, our God. Knowing this, why would anyone want to delight in the law?

The answer turns out to be the same as why we would dread the law, we delight in it because of the terrible news it gives to us. Why would we do that? Because the news no longer applies to us. The punishment for failing God's law has been taken away, our sins have been paid for by Jesus, the Son of God. He has fulfilled all the requirements of the law for those that believe and this means that we get this achievement counted towards us. This means that, though we ourselves cannot fulfill the law, there is one that has fulfilled it for us and now God sees us as if we fulfilled it. Without the law that God gave to us we would not have a way to be saved and thus have no hope, but now we have everything because God made a way for us.

So why do we delight? Because in understanding God's law and how we fit in to what it demands of us we grow in understanding of what God has done. Our understanding then pushes us towards the one who saved us. We delight because we draw closer to our Savior, our Creator, our God.

Trading Lives

Life has its challenges, and it is hard not to see someone else who appears to have everything and not wish that you could have what they do. I've seen movies where the actors switch places with one another, trading what is considered a life of luxury for a life as a bum or a simple country person. We even have reality shows where people switch places and try to live the other's life, though I don't think any of them want the life they get to see. It is easy to desire a life that we see as better than our own or to desire things that we think would make our life so much better. But when we see a life worse than ours we do not desire it, at least I don't. To see someone struggling with things that you can't comprehend struggling with. You wouldn't want to trade your life for theirs, no one in their right mind would want less than what they have. And yet, there is one who traded the ultimate life for one that is so horrible in comparison that we must wonder why it would be done.

Jesus lived a perfect life, one we would dream of (if we had good desires). He lived with the Father, God, in perfect love and shared an intimacy that few of us can ever comprehend and yet, even with this wonderful life, he chose to trade it for a life of much less. The life he traded for? In my case, mine. He took His perfect life and has given it to me in exchange for my broken life and the end result that was due it for the way it was lived. He took my punishment, my failures, my sins, upon Himself so that I could have the fellowship, the unwavering love of the Father. He did this for all who believe in Him and trust in Him for their salvation. The perfect life? I have it guaranteed for me, but don't get to live it quite yet. I still have this life to live and to strive for what will be, the life that I desire, the one where what I do pleases God. That life is coming, and so I have a future to look forward to, and so do you if you trust in Jesus Christ, the Savior.

Nothing

"Search My Heart" by Hillsong United, that is what I woke up with trying to play in my head, I had to sit there a moment and try to find the words as they were unclear; I didn't know the song as well as I would like and so I had to work a bit to find some lyrics I knew. After playing the tune a bit and listening to the muffled words in my mind I finally got to the part where they sing, "Without you I am nothing." Suddenly I knew a few of the other bits and pieces as well, but I wanted to dwell on this part here. The whole of the song is good but in particular I want to recognize how little I am.

As the song says, I am nothing. My life is so far without worth without God that I am in debt just to be alive. I owe everything and have nothing and so here I am with a negative value on my very being. But this is where the beauty of it all is. You see, I may be worth so very little on my own, but with my Lord, my God, my Savior I am worth so much more. It isn't my life that brings value, but the life of Jesus that was surrendered to bring worth to mine. Now I am a child of God, do you fathom that, believer? You are a child of God, a King, and not just a king, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, you get to call Him Father and ask of Him whatever you desire! In His gracious wisdom He doesn't always give what we ask, but we still get to ask and that is a big deal!

So though it is true that my life is nothing without God, it does not matter, for now that I have God I can now live! I am free to worship Him, to follow His will, to recognize the truth in the rest of the words of the song. My prayer today is to remember this, that God is my everything and that my desire is to follow His ways and to worship Him who saved me from the grave.

Infinite God, Best Friend

This morning's song is "Reach" by Peter Furler. This song speaks of how great God is and how great His love for us. The part going through my mind currently is: "So many people in this world, but I hear you calling out my name. You reach for me. Now I'm never gonna to be the same."

What I like about this song is how it speaks of God's infinite ability. Not only is He the one that holds this world and all the rest of the universe together and in its proper place, but He cares about His creation as well. I am but an insignificant spec in the whole of creation and yet He cares enough about me to call me by name! Think about this, He didn't just call you, saying, "Hey, you! Come here." No, He knew you, He knows you, better than even you know yourself. He called you out by name. The infinite God of the universe, the Creator of all things, took observance of your life and knows you.

This is life changing knowledge. This is being the outcast among many people and suddenly the most famous person you can think of walks up to you, puts their arm around you and says hi, but more surprisingly they know your name and many things about you and they want to spend time with you, to be your close, intimate friend.  We have a God who is so much bigger and more wonderful than anyone else we could ever hope to encounter in this world and He has taken notice of us. We may not be much on our own but because of Him we are very special indeed. Our salvation is from the greatest being one could ever know and He has decided to know our name. Take comfort today in knowing that God watches over you and gently calls you to Him, that He is your closest and best friend and you can go to Him about anything.

He Loves Me

As often happens I woke up this morning with a song in my head. Normally, because of the music I typically listen to, it is a song of worship to God, or at least a piece of the song. Today isn't much different, today's song was "You Love Me Anyway" from Sidewalk Prophets. The part of the song that keeps playing in my head is the part that goes: I am the thorn in your crown, but you love me anyway.

As a sinner I am most definitely that thorn, and a mighty thorn I must be. Though I try to do what is right, my efforts are tainted with sin and they are not worth anything to the God of the universe. It doesn't matter what efforts I make, there is no denying that I am the thorn in the crown of Christ as He went to the cross. But despite this, I still know that God loves me.

It doesn't matter what I've done or what I find myself continuing to do because of my fallen nature, I am loved by God. He chose to save me, to spare me from His wrath so that one day I can look forward to the eternal life that was promised to those who believe in the saving power of Christ. The only reason I believe is because God opened my eyes. There was nothing in me that desired to be freed, but God did it anyway and now I can freely hear and sing this song and know the truth of it. That despite who I am God still loves me with a never ending, unfailing love. Thank you Lord for saving me, for showing me your love even though I do not deserve it.

Change, Moving Into Something New

I was thinking last night as I was getting ready for bed about my day today. Today I start a new position at work, one that I am certain was a gift from God. I am looking forward to going in to start this new position and to learn all the things that I must learn, I am a bit nervous about keeping up, but who isn't when things change? More than anything I am aware of what an opportunity I have been given and I have faith that God will make it into something great as He has always been faithful to do with all the situations that have come about in my life. Because of the change that starts today there will be other changes, but I hope to make the most of them as they come. Today I am enjoying the extra time I have in the morning to sit and reflect on God and His goodness in this.

Change is a wonderful thing, seasons come and go, each one bringing its uniqueness to the world. Each one has a purpose and in a way we can look forward to them all. Our lives contain many seasons in it as well, each one bringing changes. In this season I feel God is calling me to be wiser with my time and to devote more to Him, which should always be my goal but it isn't always practiced to the best of my ability. I look forward to this change more so for the chance to grow in God and in faith of Him, to see how He uses this life change to reshape who I am as a man of God. My only prayer is that I grow as He is intending me to and I don't miss out on the opportunities that He has for me.