Jeremiah 1:5 – Being Set Apart

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 NLT

There is a quote from a book, popularized recently by its movie, that for a time seem to have found a place at the forefront of the collective American conscience.

Image courtesy A Vintage Poster

The story this quote came from was set in the 1960’s south but it resonated with our feelings in the late 2000’s as the world recovered from a global disaster of our own making. With corporate greed at an all time high (and honestly, when isn’t it?) having crushed the financial well being of the world, we collectively wanted to feel about ourselves the things communicated so simply.

While a maid of a relative of the author claimed this was her life story stolen, we should feel this quote deep inside us always because it’s just ripping off our innate awareness of God at birth. You were important to God when He wound your DNA together. You may not always feel smart, but feeling that way to begin with is intelligence. You are definitely not always kind (as much as you strive to be) because your flesh gets in your way. God made you in His image, so even though your flesh holds you back from God, it is knit together with kindness, intelligence, and importance.

Thank God again today in prayer for giving you this life. Thank Him for the reminders of Himself tucked in to your self. Ask God to use you today as a reminder to someone who has forgotten.

Find someone today who you could use some kindness God is sending you to deliver.

Zephaniah 2:3 – Humility is Acknowledging

Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you— protect you from his anger on that day of destruction. Zephaniah 2:3 NLT

Humility is a tough go. We’re not wired that way. We’re wired for pride, for purpose that requires us, for “me.” Humility requires rewiring. You can undertake some acts humbly without learning humility; learning itself requires enough humility to admit someone else knows more than you. Our world doesn’t value humility much, but it does enjoy having something to take advantage of, which makes cultivating humility an even more difficult task.

When our pride, our purpose, our unquenchable thirst for “me” kicks in, we can only be drawn out of ourselves by drawing closer to God. Humility is necessary to seek God as seeking God in the first place is an admission that you need to be saved. Humility is the lens which is necessary to peek through the flesh and truly see what our spirit desires.

When you pray today, present yourself humbly to God. Acknowledge, again, that you don’t have it all together and that you needed God to send a sacrifice that could atone for your failings. Thank God for His grace that shines brightly through the failings of this world.

My verse for 2014 is Matthew 18:4, so I’ll be posting an update at the beginning of each month with an insight into what I’m learning. Check back later today for first note as I learn to become humble as a little child this year.

Zephaniah 3:17 – God’s Calendar

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 NLT

How limited is our understanding of God in this world? For some reason, our comedians like to portray God as playing infinite rounds of galactic golf and picture Jesus making wine in a tuxedo t-shirt. These images reveal infinitely more about our limitations of understanding than they do of the nature of God. It’s fair that it can be hard to see God in this world if you’re not looking for Him. It’s not fair to think He’s off playing while the world (literally) goes to hell.

We may not know what it is God is doing today, but fortunately for us, He let Zeph. peek in on his calendar entries:

9:00 AM – Delight in you with gladness
11:00 AM – Calm your fears with love
3:00 PM – Rejoice over you with joyful songs

In case you missed it, you are on God’s calendar. Today, tomorrow, forever. If God, who made you is making time for you, it only seems to make sense that you can make time in your busy schedule for Him. God was also clear through Zephaniah that the time is now. You can’t guarantee yourself much, but it’s a safe bet you’re never wasting time spent with God.

As you pray today, thank God for making time for you. Thank God for calming your fears, for delighting and rejoicing over you.

And it never too early to make plans to seek God again tomorrow. I bet it’s already on His calendar.

Malachi 3:10 – Testing with Checking

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Malachi 3:10 NLT

Image courtesy Purified Through Flames

“God, just give me a sign. I want to know you’re there.”

Sound familiar? For most of us, we’ve wanted some reassurance, to be able to test God. God knows. He’s given us one area where we can test Him: our finances. Jesus taught about money more than any other topic. He knew it was the most likely stumbling block to faith. He knew God encouraged us to test Him with our money.

What’s the catch? You have to give first, and then God will open the storehouse? Spoiler Alert: Jesus is God’s tithe. God didn’t wait to see if we would be faithful before sending His son.

As you pray today, thank God for His provision in your life. If you’re already enjoying His storehouse, praise Him joyfully! If you aren’t, thank God for His tithe and ask for His guidance in your budget.

If you think His provision has been insufficient and haven’t been faithful with your money, what’s stopping you? God anted-up first. The locked doors of His storehouse are your decision.