YOU CANNOT SIT BACK IN YOUR CHRISTIAN WALK!

READ PSALM 105

SOMETHING WORTHWHILE TO BE SEEKING FOR…

Psalm 105:4

Seek the LORD and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

As you read this Psalm, notice the detail of God’s faithfulness toward Israel. It is also interesting to note that in this psalm God does not remind them of their seasons of sin and rebellion, but rehearses the many wonderful works He did on their behalf.

Reading these lines reminds me of the faithfulness of God to His promises. Israel, though rebellious and prone to sin, was kept by God’s omnipotent hand.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

If God does not hold us and keep us, we will never be faithful. God is faithful to His promises, not according to our behavior. We do know, though, that God is not indifferent to our sin and He will do whatever it takes to keep us close to Himself.

The psalmist reminds us to seek the Lord, to seek His presence and strength. For us to seek the Lord’s presence means to make sure we are living in communion with Him, that we are abiding in Him.

John 15:7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

We abide in Christ as a result of allowing God to transform our lives with His Word. As we meditate on God’s Word, we must strive to align our lives to what it says. Sanctification is both God’s work in us and our submissive response to His Word.

When the Bible describes our spiritual walk, it uses various images: of an athlete, of a farmer, of a boxer, of a runner, of a soldier. None of these images strike me as people who are laying back and waiting for God to do everything. Although it is the Word that transforms our minds and hearts, we must strive in our walk. There are many who preach a Gospel where believers are not expected to strive to do what is right. The Bible never describes the believer as one who has a passive response to God’s very clear instructions.

We must faithfully seek God.

Colossians 3:1-4

        If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

All too often, I allow the clouds of life to darken my view of Christ. My desire for personal comfort and ease overshadow my awareness of the presence of God.

For the Israelites, rehearsing the goodness, care, protection, and sovereignty of God changed their disposition toward God and life. For them to know that when God promises something it will come to pass was comforting. Remembering that although Joseph’s brothers were planning harm for Him and caused him much pain, God was using them to provide for the needs of the children of Israel in the future.

Psalm 105:43-45

So he brought his people out with joy,

his chosen ones with singing.

And he gave them the lands of the nations,

and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil,

that they might keep his statutes

and observe his laws.

Praise the LORD!

God orchestrates everything for His glory and our good. God always intends for our obedience to produce joy and peace in us.

I have so much to learn in this area, but as I learn, I am thankful that God is faithful to His promises and that He will bring me victoriously to the end.