Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Made for His Glory

Can you imagine telling your family, “Sorry, but I don’t have time to feed you today. I’m too busy! I’ve got this deadline at work and I need to go for a jog and check my email, then fold the laundry before my TV show comes on tonight. I just can’t squeeze in time to get you some food, much less get a meal myself.” Well, you get the idea.
Yet many of us go without feeding on the “daily bread” God has given us: His Word. How sad it is that we who are created by God for the glory of God neglect the very purpose for which we exist. We fervently seek the things of this world, only to find that the joys we receive so quickly flee...and then we rush out to do it again! Have you been there? I have, too.
Consider this: Why should we have to “find time” to pray and read God’s Word, when communion with God is the very thing we are created for? That is the only way we will have an abundant and joyful life, yet we so often seek fulfillment elsewhere, or just get “too busy” with things that don’t have eternal value. Don’t get me wrong; I am not implying that Bible study and prayer as having some kind of magical power: “A chapter a day keeps the devil away!” But when we make it our priority to spend time with the Lord, we will begin to understand that He is to permeate all aspects of our life. (For more on that, read my post titled “Why All the God Stuff?”)
Here is my point: Have you ever felt like you are rushing through prayer time or Bible study so you can “get on” to something else? I know I have! Let’s all keep (or make) first things first -- in the true sense of what it means to keep our relationship with God top priority.
We can all get caught up with things that seem to mean a lot to us, but distract us from the true reason God has created and called us to Himself: “Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, whom I have made” (Isaiah 43:7). Prayerfully ponder this verse. Ask the Lord how you can focus on making His glory your priority, and what that means in practical terms. I will, too!
Blessings,
Rachel