Continually seeking God's presence:
Yesterday I was reading Psalm 105 where it says,
Psalm 105:4 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! 5 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
- I read this and thought about how I can seek the Lord's presence continually.
Remembering my salvation:
Then today I noticed it says in v.5 to remember God's wonderous works, and goes on to tell the exodus account.
Because the New Testament likens Jesus saving us to the Exodus of the Old Testament, it got me thinking how one of the ways I can continually seek God's presence is to think of God's work in saving me.
Dangers of not meditating on my salvation:
Today I was reading Psalm 106 which again talks about the Exodus and warns us that after the Exodus the people praised God but then forgot His works:
Psalm 106:12 Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. 13 But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.
- this got me thinking how it is important for me to not stop thinking about the wonderful salvation God has given me.
Recognising my Salvation is God's work, not mine:
Thew other day I was reading about Elijah's big showdown with the prophets of Baal. At one point Elijah prays and says to God,
ESV 1 Kings 18:37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back."
- Elijah desired not just that the people would know that God was God, but also that it was God who had turned their hearts back to Him.
This says to me that I need to not only know God, but also to understand that it is God who has turned my heart to him in the first place. If he had not turned my heart, then I would not know him.
This reminds me of Jesus' words:
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
The word for "can" is the Greek word dunami = to be able.
The word "come" is used metaphorically in this passage for "believe".
So it literally says, "No-one is able to believe in me unless the Father ... draws him."
I recognise that I would not have been able to believe in Jesus, unless the Father had drawn me. Furthermore, as a result of this, I will now be raised up on the last day!
Knowing this makes me so thankful to God for saving me.
Thankyou God!
