This morning I got up and went to church. And I was running a little late. Not exactly a stunning revelation. Bumped into a friend for a quick hello but then realized I needed to go find a seat. Thankfully an usher came and offered to walk me to a seat and sat me at the end of a row with a seat between me and a couple. Soon after a man walks up and scoots by to the seat. Then a women comes to him and they chat and shoot me a nervous look. And then I realize something, the usher has put me in a saved seat. I feel the blood rush up to my cheeks and am suddenly overwhelmed with this urge to pick up my things and leave. I can't shake this feeling. I literally bend down to get my stuff when the song we're singing catches my ear...
"Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood. Hallelujah, what a savior!" I realized this urge to leave was not coming from the God who loved me so much but from a doubt and voice that didn't want me to hear something. And boy does that voice wish I had left instead of stayed and had my heart completely wrapped up in God's power.
Matthew 18:3-4, "Truly I sat to you, unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles themselves like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (ATV-Ashley Taylor Version)
Now the speaker made a good point. Children are completely dependent. Children do not worry about what will come of them. They don't look at you and say, "If the car breaks down are we going to have enough money to fix it? Do we have enough food for supper? Am I going to get a promotion?" They know who is supposed to take care of them and rely fully and completely on that provider. How can God rule in a life of someone that wants to be in charge? He gave us free will and will not force us to follow him unless we choose to submit ourselves and our lives to his plan. Even after we submit we can't go around thinking that we know what it is because if you are anything like me you get a whiff of where something is headed and will put yourself in charge of it.
He then led us to a verse that I've read a million times and of all the times I've pondered it's meaning I've never really said, "Alright, I guess I can do that."
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Seek first the kingdom of heaven and these things will be added to you. Don't grasp for power or security. Grasp for God. Seek Him. Find Him. Just be in his presence. Don't hold back your trust. He's got it all taken care of. He knows what you need and he will give it to you. Why would he hold back something from a child that would make them so happy? He wouldn't.
Live Today.
"Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood. Hallelujah, what a savior!" I realized this urge to leave was not coming from the God who loved me so much but from a doubt and voice that didn't want me to hear something. And boy does that voice wish I had left instead of stayed and had my heart completely wrapped up in God's power.
Matthew 18:3-4, "Truly I sat to you, unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles themselves like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (ATV-Ashley Taylor Version)
Now the speaker made a good point. Children are completely dependent. Children do not worry about what will come of them. They don't look at you and say, "If the car breaks down are we going to have enough money to fix it? Do we have enough food for supper? Am I going to get a promotion?" They know who is supposed to take care of them and rely fully and completely on that provider. How can God rule in a life of someone that wants to be in charge? He gave us free will and will not force us to follow him unless we choose to submit ourselves and our lives to his plan. Even after we submit we can't go around thinking that we know what it is because if you are anything like me you get a whiff of where something is headed and will put yourself in charge of it.
He then led us to a verse that I've read a million times and of all the times I've pondered it's meaning I've never really said, "Alright, I guess I can do that."
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Seek first the kingdom of heaven and these things will be added to you. Don't grasp for power or security. Grasp for God. Seek Him. Find Him. Just be in his presence. Don't hold back your trust. He's got it all taken care of. He knows what you need and he will give it to you. Why would he hold back something from a child that would make them so happy? He wouldn't.
Live Today.
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