Try God, Again . . . Always
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Psalms 116:1-2
I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
I didn’t realize God would use a theme for my devotions! These two short verses are another way of saying, “Try God!” from yesterday’s devotion. When I experience instances like this, it confirms for me that God is behind the devotions each morning. So many people have asked me, how do you know which scripture to focus on, and how I know what to say every morning? My answer is, “I don’t!” But somehow, I know when I read it—and believe me, I am so prone to distraction, that some mornings I fear I’ll be late for work! But as I sit down at the computer and begin to type, the words flow out of me. Sometimes I stop to read what I’ve typed—really! That’s how I know it’s God—I could never articulate, examine, dissect and teach God’s word to and for others with any degree of eloquence and depth of wisdom and clarity of vision, without God using my mind and my heart and my hands!
But God is so faithful! He uses me to channel his words into the world. And I believe he specifically uses me to touch the lives of those who work and live “dual lives”—those who work and volunteer “in the world” and have a full life with their families and friends, who attend church and are seeking a way to make their faith life more prominent, more of the focus of their lives. But I also think–at least I hope and pray—that my words reach anyone who is seeking a direction, a meaning for their existence, no matter at which point they are in their faith journey.
“Try God” sounds a bit like the anti-drug theme that I thought just made the issue too simplistic: Just Say No. But in this case, it is that cut and dried: Try God. Turn to him in times of need, despair, grief, hopelessness, and turn to him in times of joy and celebration! He is so steadfast and true, he is the one real and true thing in our lives. He will never lie to us, hurt us, betray us, disappoint us, or abandon us. He loves us without question, without condition, and frankly, beyond all reason! Do we deserve it? No. But he doesn’t care! He just can’t help himself!
God’s love is deeper than any ocean he ever created, vaster than the night sky full of stars and planets, more mighty than any mountain range ever scaled, and truer than any truth ever heard or spoken. He is the beginning and the end. Alpha. Omega. He is, I AM. Life begins and ends in him and through him. So I will join this psalmist in calling upon my God as long as I live. I will invite him in and rely upon his strength, his wisdom, his courage, his truth as the compass for my life’s journey.
Try God. And I’ll join you! Together, we can change the world!
I hope today you Try God in some new and exciting ways! And that you allow him to reveal to you and others in the world how very much he loves us!
Mary
