Generic Update

Well, it is already July. There is so much to do and so little I'm getting done.

I took off last week for an anniversary trip to Chicago. It was great, had a fun time with my wife. Our poor son spent the whole week with his grandparents and was ready for us when we returned. Apparently that day he wasn't very happy.

So, on this grand adventure, I failed to have my quiet time even once. I think that is pretty sad. We were not rushed or anything, but we just always wanted to get out and do things. I think I really missed out on some great time with Jesus, and that saddens me. But now I'm back in my routine and ready to spend time with my friend.

Thanks for who You are

Are we thankful for who people are and not what they do? I think it is this way with children. It should be this way with spouses. But is it really?

So, this morning I read Psalm 54 this morning. The second part of verse 6 really stuck out for me. "I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good." Actually, let me quote all of verse 6 because it is a great verse.

Psalm 54:6
"Willingly I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good."

So you have a willing sacrifice, and a spirit of thankfulness. I just think it is great how he gives thanks just because of who God is, not based on what God has done. I usually give thanks for the blessings God has given me, but I need to be thankful just for who God is.

Not just obedience

So, I read Psalm 50 this morning. It was interesting. What I pulled out of it the most was that God didn't want the people's sacrifices. Verse 14 says, "Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High;"

So it is not just obedience that God desires from us, but we are to obey with thanksgiving. So next time I just show up for my quiet time I need to remind myself that is not what is desired. I'm to be joyful to take time with my Lord.

Just being there

So, for my quiet time this morning I read Psalm 48. I actually didn't get much out of it, but I remembered what a friend told me over lunch on Friday. It isn't about getting something out of it every time, it is obedience. I did my part, I showed up to have some personal time with God.

That is what we are asked to do. Christ wants us to show up. We are to take time out of our day to spend it with Him. That isn't much to ask is it? Now let's take our thinking another step and look at who we are taking time to be with. This is the sovereign Lord and Creator who wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. So how crazy are we to think "I am too busy to spend time with my creator today, I need to do so many other things." Seriously, I think this sometimes. Mainly because I overlook who it is I'm spending time with.

Praise in other forms

So I was thinking of my last post about singing praise. But then I got to thinking of all the other ways we can praise God. Well, this morning I read Psalm 47. Verse 2 is what I would like to focus on. "For the Lord Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth."

Several areas in the Bible tell us that we should fear the Lord. I need to admit right now I don't have a real good understanding of what that is. I prayed for understanding this morning in fact. So along this journey I will eventually get what that means. But the point is that there is praise when we fear God. It is praise when we obey Him.

I guess that is why there are songs about a life song. It is with our lives that we truly praise God and get away from mere shallow words.