You Are There

"If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there." (Psalm 139:8)

In my silence…You are there In my turmoil….You are there In my confusion…You are there In my pain…You are there When I sleep…You are there When I awake…You are there When I walk…You are there When I sit…You are there You are there In my life, in my heart, in my soul In my home…You are there In my work…You are there In my travels…You are there In my life…You are there When I pray…You are there When I worship…You are there When I listen…You are there When I follow…You are there You are there. In my life, in my heart, in my soul. Poem by MTJ

Note: This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays (hosted by Charlotte).

What Does God Want From Me?

“Call me ‘the Quester.’ I've been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I looked most carefully into everything, searched out all that is done on this earth. And let me tell you, there's not much to write home about. God hasn't made it easy for us. I've seen it all and it's nothing but smoke—smoke, and spitting into the wind.

Life's a corkscrew that can't be straightened,

A minus that won't add up.

I said to myself, ‘I know more and I'm wiser than anyone before me in Jerusalem. I've stockpiled wisdom and knowledge.’ What I've finally concluded is that so-called wisdom and knowledge are mindless and witless—nothing but spitting into the wind.

Much learning earns you much trouble.

The more you know, the more you hurt.”¹

But life must be more than just a quest to know, if it is to have real meaning. I thought about those of you who write about Christ, life, relationships and what it truly means to live a life that truly pleases God.

What does Christ see when He looks at me?

Am I seeking to give myself to Him or am I only seeking what I can get from Him?

I ask the Lord for something every day in prayer; without fail. I want something. I make my requests known to Him. Last night I confessed.

“Why am I asking You when You already know my thoughts Lord?”

When I pray for my son, or daughter, a relative or friend, when I pray for those who read this blog, is it then wrong to share my own personal needs before You Lord?

There is silence as I attempt to still my thoughts from running back and forth; keeping busy. My thoughts often seem to parallel Martha, who was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen when the Lord visited her home. I need silence that I might hear God speak to my spirit.

What does God say to you in the silence of your thoughts?

Often I hear the same words, time and again.

Worship Me.

Confess before Me.

How do you worship the Lord?

I looked for examples of worship in scripture and came across this tidbit:

“…you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go...”²

I thought about these words, “you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose… there for his dwelling”, and I realized that the place the Lord chose for me to worship is within me.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”³

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”⁴

God has put His Spirit in us so that we would walk before Him in the only way that truly pleases Him, faithfully.

But how am I to worship God?

In the Old Testament, the Israelites worshipped the Lord with burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings, but what does God really want from me?

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of his pasture”⁵

“Do you think I feast on venison? or drink draughts of goats' blood? Spread for me a banquet of praise, serve High God a feast of kept promises...”⁶

God wants to see me filled with gladness when I come before Him joyful songs. To worship Him in a way that tells Him, “I don’t want to hold anything back from You Lord.” God takes no pleasure in the sacrifice of animals when He has offered the ultimate sacrifice: His Son, Jesus Christ. He wants me to serve Him a banquet of praises, my very own recipe. God wants me to be faithful as He Himself is faithful, by keeping my word. God is Light so there cannot be even the slightest change that would mutate the character and nature of His promises. God is saying to me: Be faithful by keeping your promise to Me.

We say, “Take my life Lord.” What do we mean by these words?

Do I want God to possess me in such a way that I’m not reserving any part of me from Him?

Have I given God access to my life which I previously kept reserved for me?

The Israelites sacrifices animals, what am I offering up to God from my life?

Do I give Him my time or am I too busy for God?

Do I give Him my talent, or am I using it to indulge myself?

Do I give Him my treasure, or is my treasure reserved for only me?

Do I realize how badly God wants what I hold on to so tightly?

It is an awesome thing to ponder the thought that, God values and wants me; all of me.

God is not satisfied with just a morsel of my life. No more than I would be satisfied with just a prayer that is proportionally answered to the degree I give myself to Him. If God divvied out His love, blessings, and grace to us the way we give ourselves to Him, would you be pleased with His effort?

God said this regarding His relationship with Abraham:

“The LORD said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do'...”⁷

God had no desire to hide from Abraham what He was about to do. I don’t believe God wants to hide from you or me what He is about to do in our life.

Do I want to know what God is going to do?

What can I learn from God when I come before Him with a heart willing to listen?

Will God respond when I: Worship Him without reservation Serve Him a banquet recipe of my sincere praise Confess my life before Him openly Honor my promises to Him faithfully Demolish the walls that hinder me hearing Him

I believe He will respond.

I can never meet the extent of God’s response to me, but I will never cease my effort to extend myself more and more towards Him.

Father God,

You are The Awesome God, the great I AM! It is You alone that I worship, You alone that I praise and You alone that I adore. How faithful You are to me! I want to prepare myself for You as a banquet of praise. You are too great for the few words I have to extol You. Someone once said, "What a wonder You Are!" How true these words echo in my thoughts. Your love and peace flood me beyond measure. I confess my sins that I may stand before You in reverence and adoration. Through Your Son, Jesus Chirst, there is no longer a wall of partition beween You and me. Thank You Lord Jesus for tearing it down and establishing peace with God on my behalf. No one could have done this but You Lord Jesus. I want to be faithful Lord, that I may stand in Your presence and hear what You're going to do. Heal those who cry out in anguish. Give favor and blessings to those who've lost job, career, home or family, but cling to a hope that You will respond. Move forth by the power of Your Spirit and reveal Yourself as The Sovereign Lord. Amen.

Note: Several months ago, a blogger friend suggested I visit Charlotte and Ginger who host the blog Spiritual Sundays, and that I should link in with fellow bloggers who share encouraging and inspirational posts.

I believe you will find hearts ablaze with faith, love, compassion, kindness, humility, and fellowship in Christ. I encourage you to visit. You won't be disappointed.

Footnotes:

1. Ecclesiastes 1:13-18, The Message Bible
2. Deuteronomy 12:4-5, NIV
3. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NASB
4. Ezekiel 36:27, NASB
5. Psalm 100:1-3, NIV
6. Psalm 50:13-14, The Message Bible
7. Genesis 18:17, NASB

References:

1. The Ryrie Study Bible (New American Standard Version), Edited by Charles C. Ryrie, Moody Publishers, Chicago, Illinois, ISBN 0-8024-8920-6
2. The Amplified Bible, by The Lockman Foundation, Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan, ISBN-13: 978-0310951414
3. King James Version, The Crusade Analytical Study Edition, Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc., PO Box 90011, Nashville, Tennessee 37209
4. The Message Bible, by Eugene H. Peterson, NavPress Publishing Group, Colorado Springs, CO, ISBN-13: 978-1600060250
5. New King James Version, by Nelson Bibles, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., PO Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee, ISBN-13: 978-0840713704
6. The NIV Study Bible, Edited by Kenneth Barker, Donald Burdick, John Stek, Walter Wessel and Ronald Youngblood, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530, USA
7. The New Living Translation Bible, by Tyndale Charitable Trust, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, ISBN-13: 978-0842384896

He'll Show Up

If there be anyone who's going through, We have an answer to the problem for you; Trust and obey and never give in, Only the strong shall survive and win. Just ask the question and the answer shall come, Just exercise your faith and know He's The One.

If there is no sign, Keep this in mind, He'll show up on time.

Note: After reading some of the comments, I thought it best to add this to my post. What you're about to read happened many years ago in my life. It was one of the most difficult days in my life and although it remains a vivid memory for me, it is no longer painful. Looking back on that day, I realize just how gracious God was to me, giving me strength because I had none.

---

I listened intently as the man directed me where I needed to go:

“Go to the end of this corridor, turn left and follow it until you get to the stairway. Go down the stairway and then go through the door. Once inside, you’ll see a steel door with a window. Ring the buzzer next to the window and someone will come to the door to help you.”

I’m not even sure now that I was even listening; all I know is he lost me after, “Go to the end of this corridor”.

The corridor was dimly lit, everything about this place reeked with gloom. As I opened the door, I could feel its weight, resist me pulling the doorknob. It felt like someone was on the other side, trying to prevent me from entering; but I managed to open it. I heard the loud thud as the door closed behind me. I walked into a poorly lit corridor with faded yellow brick walls; the concrete floor didn’t attempt to hide its barren look. There was nothing about this place that welcomed visitors. I really didn’t want to be here but I had no choice; there were no volunteers when we were told that someone needed to come and identify the body of my brother. Emotionally, everyone was on life support. I’d seen dead bodies before but they were always someone else’s relative; their life never mattered to me. It was different this time.

It was so eerily quiet until I rang the buzzer to interrupt the silence. Every moment seemed to slice into infinity, stretching out the time, until I pressed my finger against the buzzer again. Finally, a Black man arrived, looking through the window at me and opening the door.

“What’s the name?”

The question was cold and lacking any emotion. I looked at the empty expression on his bearded face, his brown eyes staring at me as if to ask, what do you want?

My answer was hesitant. I didn’t forget where I was, but I wasn’t certain what to say.

“I’m here for my brother.”

It was as if I expected him to go tell my brother, "Someone wants to see you."

My thoughts were tattered, up to this point I didn’t feel any emotions, but I would soon discover what was hidden just below the surface of my life. I gave him my brother’s name and the loud metal door clanged shut while he disappeared behind it.

It was only minutes but it seemed much more like an hour as he returned pushing a steel table, a white cloth covered the outlined shape of a body. He motioned for me to walk to the left and I stopped by a window. At that moment, I wondered, why am I standing here? I wanted to get out of there but my feet wouldn’t move. Did I expect to see my brother walk up to me and smile? He slid the window back and asked me,

“Are you ready?”

I nodded, not conscious of the bobbing motion of my head, consenting for him to proceed. He pulled the cloth back and there was my brother; lying quietly as though he was sleeping. I wanted to call his name as if I could somehow wake him from this slumber; but his eyelids were frozen. I looked at his body and saw the entry wounds from the gunshots and the facial scars from being beaten. I stood there in the silence of this naked corridor, staring at his lifeless body; time for me seemed to stop.

Random moments of our lives flashed through my mind, as though it were a slide show; years reduced to brief moments of the bond he and I shared. Words were trapped inside me. Did I think that by not saying anything he really wasn’t dead? Finally, my eyes moved from the body of my brother, looking at the face of the attendant. There were no words to exchange, the up and down motion from my head was the only confirmation he needed. He slid the white cloth over my brother’s head and wheeled him away.

I stood there surrounded by those bare walls of brick, it was over so quickly; I stood alone in the silence of my thoughts.

I don’t know how people deal with death, we are all so different. But laying there on that table, I saw something that attendant couldn’t see; I saw the lifeless body of my brother, someone whom I hugged, laughed with, played with, ate with and slept with as a child. King David said this about his son after learning he was dead:

“But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”¹

I think about Jesus, and how God must have felt as Christ hung there in the silence on the cross. How conflicted God must have felt as,

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.”²

How it must have pained God as they laid the body of Christ in that tomb. Until finally, on the third day, the Son of God rose from the dead. How it must have pleased the Father that Jesus rose from the dead, fulfilling what had been set in motion before you or I ever existed.

We, who call on the name of Jesus, wait in hope for His return. We believe He will show up, not just in the end time,

“…for He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,’…”³

We are unlike those who have no interest in Christ. They are like that attendant in the morgue; performing the ritual task of a job. But if they knew who Jesus is, their whole outlook would change. No matter what you face in life, Christ will show up to get you over, above and beyond your circumstances. I've put my life in His hands. I've seen Him show up. He's done it for me; He'll show up for you.

“ 'Men of Galilee,' they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’ ”⁴

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”⁵

Heavenly Father,

You are the great I AM. There is nothing too hard for You. You are holy, just, righteous and true. You have written Your laws in our hearts and put Your Spirit in our lives. Who are we to receive such love and kindness from You? Your grace is beyond measure and Your love knows no end. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Lord, You Show Up, always when I call, when I need You, You are there for me. Thank You Lord for showing up, always and forever. Amen.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 12:23, NIV
2. Luke 23:46, NIV
3. Hebrews 13:5,NASB
4. Acts 1:11,NIV
5. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, NIV

References:

1. The NIV Study Bible, Edited by Kenneth Barker, Donald Burdick, John Stek, Walter Wessel and Ronald Youngblood, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530, USA
2. The Ryrie Study Bible (New American Standard Version), Edited by Charles C. Ryrie, Moody Publishers, Chicago, Illinois, ISBN 0-8024-8920-6
3. Biblegateway.com