Am I Important?

       How do we measure our importance?  In reality, we cannot for we cannot see every impact we have on this world, the people in it, or in the spirit realm.  Yet we know logically that each and every one of us is important just by the fact that God allowed us to be born- at a specific time and situation in this world. (Eph. 2:10)  Placing too much emphasis on feeling these days, we postulate that if we do not ‘feel’ important, then we are not.  The truth is, God made you for His plans and purposes, whether ‘great and glorious’ in your eyes or other’s, or even if you remain in relative obscurity. 

       When I think of my past, I remember several things that helped me to ‘find’ the Lord.  There was a tract I was given, one particular picture in it that stayed with me ever since, being invited to VBS, a young girl singing Jesus loves me, none of them great and mighty acts, yet all significant in my journey.  In the same way, I cannot know whose life I am touching today with my words or actions, with my writing or my prayers, or in a multitude of ways I cannot conceive.

        You are important, essential to this world and God has a plan and purpose for you.  He even manages to use us when we don’t feel able, when we are down for the count, when we are hidden in the background, when we have sin in our lives, when we are still being selfish with our time and Him, and every other time in our lives we don’t think He can use us.  He’s God, He can do anything. (Job 42:2)  He even used a donkey to talk to a prophet, so I guess He can use us too. (Num. 22:28)  His plans will prevail. (Pr. 19:21)

       It is easy to get down on ourselves for our many failings and this leads us to believe we are failing Him.  The truth is the Lord can even use our failings for His glory. (1 Cor. 1:27)  Sure He prefers if we are living by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16) and following Him completely (Num. 14:24), but He also knows we are imperfect and He is willing to work with us the way we are.*  So, don’t give up on yourself.  Don’t give up doing ‘little’ things in people’s lives, because you never know how big an impact it will have for them.

Here this prayer, oh Lord:

Use me to change this world, in big and small ways, in happy or down times, where ever I am and with all whom I am able- near and far away.  Use me for Your glory, and I will relegate ‘my importance’ to the back shelf where I won’t be concerned about it, knowing that You will find opportunities for me to impact this life.  I surrender myself for Your use.  Amen

*Ps. 138:8  Jehovah doth perfect for me, … The works of Thy hands let not fall! YLT

                 The Lord will work out his plans for my life… TLB

Words and Thoughts

       According to scriptures David was a man after God’s own heart. (1 Sam. 13:14)  If you ever wondered why, perhaps this verse will help you understand.  David writes this prayer to his God, his Savior.  

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Jehovah, my rock and my Redeemer.  (Ps. 19:14 TIB)

       We all try to impress others with our words: employers, co-workers, congregations, family and friends.  We use our words to achieve things of both noble and selfish purposes.  But how often do we want to please God with our words?  Sure, there are words we know He doesn’t approve of that many of us try to avoid: swearing, gossiping, derogatory remarks, etc, but what about the rest of our conversation?  Are we trying to please Him with the words from our mouths, or do we not even consider it?  I have to admit more to the latter.  L

       If that isn’t enough, David also wants to please God with what he thinks about- “the meditation of my heart”.  Again, many of us try to avoid those really bad thoughts because of course there are levels of badness (insert rolling eyes), but again, do we yearn for our thoughts to please God?  And of course, we base what pleases God on our own estimation of our words and thoughts, but David is concerned for what pleases God in God’s eyes. 

       We all know David sinned several times which were exposed in the Bible, but in his heart he really wanted God to be pleased with all of his being including his words and thoughts.  He prayed to this end and he strove towards it.  Knowing that, is it any wonder God said what He did about David? 

       

       Here’s a thought to ponder.  If God wrote a sentence about you, what would it say?

Extreme Makeover

       Earlier during some down time I was watching a few minutes of Extreme Home Makeover, and it got me thinking about another extreme makeover I’ve seen- one far more meaningful than any new house.  It was twenty eight years ago that I accepted the Lord as my Savior and He gave me a new heart and life.  Now, you have to understand… on the outside I looked pretty good, at least by the world’s standards.  I didn’t drink, smoke, do drugs, or get involved in premarital sex; I listened to my parents, helped when I could, did my school work, got decent grades, attended church, treated people the way I wanted to be treated, etc ad nauseam.

       What the outside didn’t show was the sin inside of me.*  It didn’t matter how I appeared on the outside, because on the inside was a black heart that didn’t know the Lord Jesus Christ.  As a result, selfishness, hatred, constant judging, perversity, and all kinds of sin (Matt. 15:19) reigned in my heart.  (Rom. 6:12)  Ah, you say, but that didn’t hurt anyone so what’s the big deal?  Well, it did hurt me and left me in a state of bondage (Rom. 6:6) and led to guilt and shame.  That is no way to live.  It also hurt my Father as my sin created a wall between us** and kept us from having the relationship He wanted to have with me.

       And so my Savior saved, healed, and delivered me in 1983, and thus began my personal extreme makeover. (2 Cor. 5:17)  Immediately I started talking to people more as I had been exceedingly shy.  From that point on until now I have undergone tremendous changes in my heart, my spirit and my soul.  Jesus didn’t just save me, but He continues to change me and will perfect it until the day He returns. (Php. 1:6)  Who I am today is nowhere near the person I was back then, and I can honestly say I like me better now.  I love this life and I can live it without the bondage of sin, guilt and shame- all because of the blood of Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:19-21 6:6,17,18)  He gives me abundant life.  (John 10:10)

       Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor. 5:17)  Ah… to be made new- not just fixed up, resurfaced, patched, flaws covered up, or recondition, but to be ‘brand spankin new’.  This is one extreme makeover I’m thankful for. 

      

*for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;  Rom 3:23 

** but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, so that he will not hear.  Isa 59:2