Seek The Lord Sunday: My Favorite Scripture This Week
I didn't always love the Bible. In fact, I've disliked it (strongly) for more of my life than not! My saying this has nothing to do with the Book itself...just as it's author never changes, it never changes. I'm the one who has changed.
In fact, it is my dramatic and miraculous change of heart toward the Word that is one of my proofs...proof that God is real and that the Bible is His book. What do I mean by dramatic and miraculous? I mean one day I couldn't stand reading the Bible. It didn't make sense to me, and the parts that I could understand...honestly, I didn't like a whole lot. And the next day (literally)? I had a consuming and loving passion for the Word. I simply could not get enough of it. It was truly like there was some part of me that was bone dry, and I needed to be quenched. I soaked up every morsel of the Bible that I could. "Living water"...truly.
And my obsession wasn't a normal obsession for me. I'll sometimes go crazy over something new in my life, but I soon tire of it and move on to something new. But the Bible? Folks, it's been something like four YEARS, and I still love it. Again...proof. This is beyond me. This is of Him.
One of the things I love most about the Bible is how it always...always has something of value for me. It is truly a way that God Himself communicates with me. I can read a verse 50 times, and just sort of skim over it. But the 51st time? It practically leaps off the page at me. I hear that still small voice saying, "this is for you". I get goose bumps. Tears well in my eyes. I'm filled with gratitude and love. He is there with me...speaking to me. There is nothing. NOTHING. better than that.
I'll bet that you've had an experience similar to mine, an experience with the Bible where you know that God is giving you something you need to examine more closely. That's what I'm after today. I'd like for us to share the verse that is most on our hearts and minds lately. The verse that God has given you to make your own.
That being said, here is the verse that jumped into my heart this past week:
Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.
Job 22 : 21-22
Money has been on my mind a lot lately. You know...the economy, gas prices, job stability (or instability)...it's affecting us all. I've been anxious. I've been feeling like maybe I should be doing something to try and do a better job of financially pulling my weight. I've been spending my time thinking about how I could maybe make money by blogging or through photography.
Bottom line, my focus has not been where it should be.
I'm not under the impression that this verse is promising me worldly wealth if I just submit to God (although, Lord, if you're taking requests...it would sure be nice). It's offering prosperity.
Prosperity could mean financial wealth. Or maybe it could mean spiritual wealth. Maybe it could mean eternal wealth. Maybe it could mean wealth in the way of healthy family and friends.
Whatever it is...whatever God has for me...I want it! Does it sound selfish of me to say that? Well, if it's selfish to want the best of what God has for me, then go ahead and call me selfish. God wants to bless me. And He's big enough that when He gives to me, He still has more than enough for others. So yes...if prosperity is what God wants for me, I'll take it!
But my role is submitting to God and making sure that I'm at peace with him. That's the ultimate "work" of Christians, don't you think? So that's what I'll be trying to focus on. That's how God spoke to my heart this week.
How about you? How did God speak to you this week?
| 1. Abrianna 2. Ang4him | 3. Amanda @ TSC 4. Everyday Becky |
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Wonderful post. I've been learning that the pleasures of this world are not necessarily bad. God wants to bless us and these little things are just a small sampling of what Heaven is going to be like. Our issues come when we look to these things/pleasures to make us happy instead of looking to Him (and from there enjoying the pleasures!)
I was once told that our problem is not that we expect too much from God, it is that we expect too little. If our focus is on Him, our expectations will be within His Will. But are we thinking big enough? He is a big God and wants to bless us in amazing ways we can not even begin to imagine!
I loved your post, and you have no idea how timely it is for me today. I am struggling with the sames things you mentioned in your post - I could've written it - and so this means a lot to me.
Thanks for sharing!
Great post! Isn't it funny how we try so hard to make successes of ourselves by ourselves? And I don't mean in just money matters either. I need to learn to quit grabbing the reigns out of God's hands and let Him drive. He know the way much better than I afterall.