Who is God:my relationship with God through prayer

 

I allow all kinds of gods in my life. And that hurts God. People He created had no clue. And that continues today. Who the real God was, just that God was something that was entitled to reverence. They were half right. They did what I do whenever I try to shortchange God in worship, whether privately or in the church service. God doesn’t like me to be haphazard and half-way about anything, especially when I am supposed to praise and honor him. He is the one with all the answers the real answers (Proverbs 16:1). He also knows that when that happens feelings of hypocrisy and jealousy crop about what the person being applauded by everyone for their godliness. He knows I am one-step away from stepping out and sinning against my brethren. And that displeases Him most of all. He knows I have set myself up, I have put myself into a compromising position and I will give in regardless, because of my fleshly body. Unless I remember that God has equipped me with His Spirit. And it is that spirit that understands that God is the LORD above all else and we shall have no false gods ahead of Him. (Exodus 20:1ff) God equips me with His Word and with friends that can bring me back into focus if I will remember to call upon their support. And, more importantly, that is what His Spirit will do, if I let Him. That takes practice. Do I love God enough to do that? Does my relationship with God matter more than my job that I am in danger of losing, or that husband that wants me to do something that would compromise my morals but would be good for his business? Does following God’s Word mean more to me than losing friends? If God matters more than what I fear does, then I will listen to Him. I will remember that God was displeased with the golden calf, even though Aaron was trying to be a servant to His people and give them what they desired. I will remember that God commands me to speak His truth to His people, as He did Jeremiah (Jer 26:2) even if I stand alone. Like sacrificing Isaac was for Abraham, this is not one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. But it is what He wants me to do. To speak the truth. To acknowledge Him in all things. To be concerned with what most pleases Him, not how someone looks or what my talents are and how much better and more expressive I am than my brother or sister in Christ. To stand praying to Him and praising Him every day. What a blessing! To be in His holy chamber and sit by Him! (Lk 18:10, Lk 24:53) To be in tune with God. I will listen to Him as He tells me where He needs me and for what purpose. I will also believe deeply the scripture in Isaiah 19:20 that speaks of how when I was oppressed, God brought me from my personal Egypt, the way He heard the cries of the Jews and rescued them. How many times have I read through the numbering of families and the various genealogies that are written of in the Old Testament and found myself either falling asleep trying to get through them or simply wondering why it was in the bible to begin with. Having read it again with the idea of worshipping God in all I do, I have come to the conclusion why it is important for God to have included numbering and genealogical mapping as He insists that biblical writers do. I believe that God found it important first of all to give a history and a background to present day people, a listing so people could trace from whence they came, but also so they have firm footing as to their place in history. But most important to give His history. That even though He has been here forever, He is not untraceable. And He is in control of all tribes, colonies, herds, etc. Each has its specific task to perform in the service of God and a purpose in His kingdom. Because He is in control, I am not the one holding the reigns. I must understand this, that even in storms He will always be in control. (Matt 14:30-33) He’s taken care of all things for me. My main goal is to relax, be His daughter and live according to His love and truth. To be as Joshua, falling at the feet of the LORD his servant (Jos 5:14, 15) and as David when he says to God, “So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy LORD and worship thou Him: I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee forever and ever.” (Ps 45:11-17). To praise Him daily. To acknowledge His royalty and power, as made manifest in the birth of Jesus. And to comfort the one pierced by my acts, as if by my hand He was slain. To mourn the death of one so beautiful and then rejoice that God has raised Him to a new life. (Zec 12:10). And most comforting, to rest in Zion, to cry no more, because He answers all prayers, and knows that life here is painful. (Isaiah 30:19) In his great mercy, he has made that temporary, only giving me what I can handle, and letting me know that He will never forsake me.