Back to the question of how to keep relationship with the Lord as top priority in the midst of a busy life...
Yesterday I mentioned being sensitive to the Lord's voice. In my case, I've been learning to listen to the message He's giving me through the praise songs that are in my mind when I wake up. Without fail, the lyrics focus my thoughts on Him and one or more of His attributes.
This morning as I prayed, several songs entered my mind, one after the other. Each one focused on the name of Jesus: "Jesus is the sweetest name I know...," "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus....there's just something about that name...," and "Jesus, name above all names, beautiful Savior, glorious Lord...." It was amazing, really, how one song ended and the next began without me consciously directing my thoughts.
It was such a sweet experience, and it reminded me that relationship with Jesus supersedes all else in importance. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus -- there's no other like Him. When that realtionship is in order, all else falls into place.
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Monday, January 05, 2009
Friday, January 02, 2009
A Cover-up
I read today in Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve sinned against God. Verse 7 stood out to me: "...they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves" after they'd eaten from the forbidden fruit.
Fig leaves around the hips, eh? I can almost see the couple cowering in an orchard, trying desperately to string the greenery before God shows up for their daily walk in the park. Their hands are shaking and sweat beads are forming on the foreheads. They know they've done wrong, and they know their actions have built a wall between themselves and God. And so they try to cover up, to pretend that everything's okay. Unfortunately, it doesn't work.
God walks onto the scene knowing full well what His kids had been up to. He speaks with them to make sure they understand the seriousness of disobeying Him, He levies the consequences for what they've done, and then...I love this part...He provides a cover-up for them.
Big difference between the first and second cover-ups!
The first is flimsy, inadequate, and manmade. The second is crafted by God's hands and covers the nakedness completely. More importantly, it's made from animal skins, which require a blood sacrifice. This cover-up is sufficient.
How many times do we sin, and then try to set things right on our own? We string fig leaves together -- using flimsy excuses to cover our tracks -- but our feeble attempts don't work. God knows what we've done, and, because He loves us and wants nothing to interfere with our fellowship with Him, He has provided the perfect cover-up for us.
Like the animal skins that covered Adam and Eve, this one covers us. It, too, required a blood sacrifice -- the blood of Jesus Christ. And it's sufficient. Nothing else is needed -- just our willingness to accept the gift of God's cover-up for us.
What an amazing proof of God's love for us!
Fig leaves around the hips, eh? I can almost see the couple cowering in an orchard, trying desperately to string the greenery before God shows up for their daily walk in the park. Their hands are shaking and sweat beads are forming on the foreheads. They know they've done wrong, and they know their actions have built a wall between themselves and God. And so they try to cover up, to pretend that everything's okay. Unfortunately, it doesn't work.
God walks onto the scene knowing full well what His kids had been up to. He speaks with them to make sure they understand the seriousness of disobeying Him, He levies the consequences for what they've done, and then...I love this part...He provides a cover-up for them.
Big difference between the first and second cover-ups!
The first is flimsy, inadequate, and manmade. The second is crafted by God's hands and covers the nakedness completely. More importantly, it's made from animal skins, which require a blood sacrifice. This cover-up is sufficient.
How many times do we sin, and then try to set things right on our own? We string fig leaves together -- using flimsy excuses to cover our tracks -- but our feeble attempts don't work. God knows what we've done, and, because He loves us and wants nothing to interfere with our fellowship with Him, He has provided the perfect cover-up for us.
Like the animal skins that covered Adam and Eve, this one covers us. It, too, required a blood sacrifice -- the blood of Jesus Christ. And it's sufficient. Nothing else is needed -- just our willingness to accept the gift of God's cover-up for us.
What an amazing proof of God's love for us!
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