ISAIAH 40:9–11 – Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”
THEME OF THE DAY: BEHOLD YOUR GOD. This is what we were created to do – Behold God. This is what we were saved to do – Behold God. This is what we will do throughout eternity – Behold God. This is what satisfies the human heart – Beholding God. This is what gives life purpose – Beholding God. This is what the Christian is to pursue each day of life – Beholding God. This is what brings the greatest glory to God – His children beholding Him. And all that sounds incredibly awesome, but what does that look like in the daily grind of life in a fallen world? How do we get there in the midst of the daily grind of going to work, washing clothes, cleaning house, raising kids, working on our marriages, and fulfilling all the demands and responsibilities upon us while dealing with sin and brokenness all around and in us? Well, I could toss out a few pat answers like, “Increase your spiritual disciplines. Pray more. Give increased time in your Bible. Get more involved in fellowship and service in your church.” I say “pat answers” because your responses would be, “I agree. I do those things, but still sometimes, maybe more than sometimes, I am just not “beholding God” as the Bible commands.” I get that. I really do but let me offer two things to incorporate into our lives that I think will help us . . . a lot.
First, each time we open the Bible in private or begin to hear a sermon, ask God to show you not only truth, but primarily Himself. Come to the Bible asking and expecting to meet God. And do this every time we encounter the Bible. Oh, one note about hearing sermons. Yes, preaching matters. A great bit. Christians who downplay or ignore preaching are at odds with God (1 Corinthians 1:17-21). Just do a word study of “preach, preaching” throughout the whole Bible, and be amazed what God thinks of preaching. Oh, by the way, spiritually healthy Christians love to hear preaching and I don’t say that because I am a preacher. And we need to be sitting regularly, in person, not by webcast, podcast or website under the sound of God’s Word preached. He has ordained it as a primary means of “beholding Him” and spiritual growth. So, when the Bible is opened, privately and publicly, ask God to show us Himself or to behold Him.
Another thing to do to help us behold Him is to go often to the places of our Lord’s suffering; the Garden of Gethsemane, His trial and scourging, and crucifixion. Prayerfully read and meditate on what the Lord endured for us. These are sacred, holy places to behold God that will create a tender, humble and teachable heart – the very thing necessary to Behold our God! May the Lord help us to do what He has created, saved, and destined us for – a life and eternity of beholding Him for His glory and our joy.
PRAYER: “Father, draw me nearer to the sufferings of Your Son that I might be humbled and made teachable.”
QUOTE: “To avoid complaining in any kind of suffering we encounter, immediately think of Christ’s sufferings.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim