I've been thinking a lot lately how God is a jealous God. He wants our undivided attention and worship. He doesn't want to have our leftovers. Everything is really all about Him in the first place and if it wasn't for Him, we wouldn't exist. Every good thing comes from His hand.
Psalm 15 :3
"Our God is in the heavens and he does as he wishes."
Proverbs 16:4
"The Lord has made everything for his own purposes."
I think it's so easy to get caught up in doing "good things" for God.....but actually forgetting HIM in the process!
HE calls us to the WORSHIP OF HIM first and foremost.
I have been attending a Bible Study every week at our church and we are studying the book
"Words that Hurt - Words that Heal"
In it Carole Mayhall writes,
"I am becoming more and more convinced that telling people about Christ is not the most important ministry we have in this life. Neither is feeding the hungry. Nor helping people find a deeper relationship with God. All of those things are important and commanded by God. But more and more I am persuaded that what pleases the heart of God most are the choices we make that no one sees but God - those everyday moments when God is the only audience; when we offer to Him the sacrifice of praise; when the sweet aroma of our thanksgiving reaches Him."
I think as mothers we can relate to this. There are many moments in the day that no one sees where we have to choose joy. Choose to praise God for:
our snotty nosed kids
our teething babies (personally relating to this one right now!!!)
our disobedient toddlers
our rebellious teenagers
our uncooperative husbands
our homes - as messy/dirty as they are
That's why it's called a "sacrifice" of praise......sacrifices do not come easily. They pull at every fiber of our being....threaten to destroy us....but ultimately bring us the most joy.
This is when God smiles at us - because we are choosing to remember - it's not about us -
IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM
"Our God is in the heavens and he does as he wishes."
Proverbs 16:4
"The Lord has made everything for his own purposes."
I think it's so easy to get caught up in doing "good things" for God.....but actually forgetting HIM in the process!
HE calls us to the WORSHIP OF HIM first and foremost.
I have been attending a Bible Study every week at our church and we are studying the book
"Words that Hurt - Words that Heal"
In it Carole Mayhall writes,
"I am becoming more and more convinced that telling people about Christ is not the most important ministry we have in this life. Neither is feeding the hungry. Nor helping people find a deeper relationship with God. All of those things are important and commanded by God. But more and more I am persuaded that what pleases the heart of God most are the choices we make that no one sees but God - those everyday moments when God is the only audience; when we offer to Him the sacrifice of praise; when the sweet aroma of our thanksgiving reaches Him."
I think as mothers we can relate to this. There are many moments in the day that no one sees where we have to choose joy. Choose to praise God for:
our snotty nosed kids
our teething babies (personally relating to this one right now!!!)
our disobedient toddlers
our rebellious teenagers
our uncooperative husbands
our homes - as messy/dirty as they are
That's why it's called a "sacrifice" of praise......sacrifices do not come easily. They pull at every fiber of our being....threaten to destroy us....but ultimately bring us the most joy.
This is when God smiles at us - because we are choosing to remember - it's not about us -
IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM
So true Coreen! I've been learning something very similar lately.
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