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Glimmers Day 6 Hope In The Should Have

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 107:1-22
Psalm 108
Judges 2:11-23

Glimmers, Day 6

“There’s that ‘should’ word again.”
This phrase is forever drenched in the loving sound of my husband’s voice as he makes a move towards me. To which, I insistently pull away.
He dramatically shakes his head and moves forward again, a smile teasing his lips.

“Oh my goodness”, he soothes. “Will you just….relax?!”
Tears threaten on my side, my body tightly unyielding as he works to draw me near.
He doesn’t understand.
He doesn’t know how much I’ve got to finish, how behind I am, and I continue babbling on.

I’m pretty hard on myself; it comes naturally to me.
Always better, always more, I use “should” more often than I…should. Oh wait…
Should have done this.
Should have been better.
Should have made that choice.

“You’re so frustrating sometimes, you know?”
But his voice holds nothing but winsome endearment as he resolutely folds me tight against him with no escape.

I wrap myself up so securely with my ‘shoulds’, it becomes nearly impossible to see clearly. I often can’t even recognize the Love standing right in front of me, beckoning me to stand down and rest.

My husband is a constant reminder of the Lord’s love for me and His relentless pursuit.
Even when, or especially when, I “should” be performing better.

The period of the Judges was a crazy, wacky time for the nation of Israel.
If anyone really should have had a laundry list of should haves and must dos, it was these people!

If you’ve never cracked open your Bible to the Old Testament book of Judges, you should try it! It’s more intriguing than you might imagine. Chock full of strange stories, Judges will make you scratch your head in curiosity, leave your mouth hanging open at the wild true stories, and make you wonder what else might be hidden in the pages of the Bible.
An incredibly obese king who dies when a dagger is plunged into his belly and the whole blade is swallowed up by his fat.
A brave housewife who kills the commander of the enemy army by driving a tent stake through his head after she gave him food and drink.
A woman who rose head and shoulders above male leadership in a male dominant society to guide God’s people with her humble faith.
An ordinary man with no societal favor, leads the entire nation to victory with only 300 men by smashing empty jars, yelling, and using torches.
A rash man’s vow that cost his daughter’s life.
Samson’s incredible strength.
And of course, everyone’s favorite, the talking donkey who saw an angel.

Judges reminds me how God pursues His people by any means necessary.
Regardless of how far we run or how hard we push against Him.
Israel was known for being stuck in a cycle (can I get an Amen? I know cycles!)
Theirs went like this…
1) They abandoned the Lord, did their own thing, and ran furiously away from God.
2) God justly punished them by bringing a foreign power to oppress them.
3) Israel begged God for deliverance from oppression, promising to live for Him
4) God answered by raising up a Judge to deliver them and lead them back to Him.
……and then they did it all again!!

For nearly 400 years this cycle of running away, being punished, returning, and drawn back continued on. Generations died in this cycle.
Yet God kept on pursuing.
He loved Israel again and again. Even though He knew they would again break His heart and turn away, blinded by their own selfish ways.

Sisters, I am exactly the same.
Sure, it’s easy for me to sit here with my hot drink, my journal, and my Bible open to Judges to not only gape at their incredible stories, but also judge their inexcusable, repetitive behavior.
How could they?
What were they thinking?
Were they thinking??
Yet there was the Lord, loving them again. Pursing them again.
Despite every ‘should have’ they never followed through on.

And here our stories cross.
My should haves, my repetitive sin cycles, my insistence to trust myself and my way look just as absurd as Israel’s.
Yet, just like my husband’s insistent arms, the Lord draws me back again and again and again.

The poet of Psalm 107 had this cycle thing figured out. Maybe he had cycle issues too.
The whole psalm is built around 4 repetitive occurrences: people suffering, people cry out, God rescues, their grateful response.  I would quote it here for you, and break it all down, but that kind of steals the fun of discovery from you. So, go read it right now for yourself.

Where do you relate?
Do you see the Rescuer?!
Sit with the people’s heart response.
And when it happens again, think of the deeply loving pursuit of arms that refuse to let you go.
No matter all the should haves you pile up, the sins you hide, or the shame you carry.

Maybe one of these times, you’ll decide to fall into the embrace that keeps on waiting.
Maybe you’ll see the God of Freedom for exactly who He is and finally,
you’ll love Him back because you will have discovered that all this time,
He has loved you in the should have.

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Glimmers Day 5 Hope Of A New Covenant

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 15:12-17
Exodus 20:1-21
James 2:8-13
1 Peter 1:14-21
Matthew 26:26-28

Glimmers, Day 5

What comes to mind when you think of the Ten Commandments?
Laws?
A list of do’s and don’ts?
What about considering them in terms of a covenant?
A bond between God and His people.

The Ten Commandments are God’s covenant in the form of a gift given to a prince-turned-shepherd (Moses) for a people (Israel) He called to Himself.
Although we don’t typically think of a connection between these Ten and Christmas,
the link is one we should rejoice in, especially during Christmas.

The commandments were intended to draw the hearts of the children of Israel back to their God. After hundreds of years of slavery, the people had forgotten Yahweh and His covenant with their ancestor Abraham. The commandments served as a legal “contract” between them and God by giving the boundaries within which they would live as His children in the new land He had already promised them. The covenant God had made with Abraham, which was sealed by God’s Word and acted upon by Abraham’s faith, not his performance, was fleshed out by these ten laws.

The Ten Commandments provided the boundaries for Israel’s pattern of living.
They would distinguish God’s people, identifying them by how they lived according to God’s Laws. Israel would be markedly set apart from pagan nations around them.
Through their obedience and adherence to the laws of God, the children of Israel were to be a living, breathing witness of the character of God to these nations; nations that had long ago rejected God through choice or tradition.

God has always had a calling on His people.
In John 15:16 God the Son, Jesus, plainly states, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
Before we even knew to choose God, He had already chosen and ordained us to bear fruit that would be lasting. This was one of the primary objectives for the Israelites living in the Promised Land, to restore the name and glory of God among those who didn’t Him.
They were to bear fruit in a spiritually desolate desert wasteland.

Although the commandments served as a standard by which to live (God’s holy standard), we as sinners are unable to keep the law perfectly. The Israelites broke the law immediately after receiving it.

“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said,
“Come, make us gods who will go before us.
As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt,
we don’t know what has happened to him.”
{In brief, Aaron (Moses’ brother) says, okay! Bring me all the gold jewelry you can find. Aaron melted it down and fashioned a golden calf, presenting it to the people saying….}  
“These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
{Then Aaron announced…}
“Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.”
So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.
They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’  (Exodus 32:1-8)

Friends, can you imagine the horror when Moses heard from God and reached the based of Mount Sinai to find this scene?
Can you imagine God’s horror?
To break even one of these commandments is to break the covenant with God in its entirety (James 2:10) and leads to death (Romans 6:23).
But God, full of gracious love and tender mercy, knew we needed hope.
Hope by giving us a Savior to kill death for us, and give us righteousness where we had earned death because we had broken His covenant.
Hope that would bring freedom; not just for Israel in the desert, but for all of us, lost in the desert of sin, who would enter into the new covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ for all eternity. (1 Peter 1:17-19, Matthew 26:28)

Jesus is the Redeemer that freed both Israel and us.
The commandments and subsequent Mosaic sacrificial system were an ever-present reminder of our need for a Rescuing Savior.
The commandments provided the Glimmer of Hope.
Hope personified through Jesus Christ, born as God wrapped in flesh.
Born to die as a substitutionary atonement for all sinners.
Born as the only solution to the wages of death brought on by breaking God’s law and covenant.
We are the breakers of this law. Not just Israel, us.
We are the ones in need of a Rescuing Savior. Not just Israel, us.

Christmas and the Ten Commandments?
Absolutely!
The baby in the manger is the Rescuer we desperately needed because we are incapable of keeping the law of God.
Praise God for being both Law-Giver and Law-Fulfiller!
Praise Him for being our Hope!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Glimmers Day 4 Hope In Surrender: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Hope In Surrender!

The Questions

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?

Genesis 22:1-18

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

2 “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.

7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He replied, “Here I am.”

12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.”

15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies. 18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”

Original Intent

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?
Admittedly, there doesn’t appear to be any glimmers of hope here. The God who had decades before called Abraham out of his homeland, away from false worship, blessing him abundantly with land, servants, wealth, military power, and the promise of a son through whom he would have countless descendants, was now the same God who called Abraham to sacrifice his son. Not the son of his maidservant, Ishmael, not a sacrifice of wealth or power, but a total surrender of the son whom Abraham loved (22:2). On top of the ask to sacrifice, God told Abraham to travel to Mt. Moriah, which was three days away (22:2). Abraham had three days to mentally and emotionally consider the cost of sacrifice. Three days to wrestle with his fear and his grief, and his love. It’s one thing to obey in a split second, but another to think through all the pros and cons and wrestle within yourself when it comes to obedience. Who would Abraham love most? Isaac or Yahweh? The glimmer of hope is found in the character of God Himself. Abraham had learned to trust God over the course of a lifetime of following Him. He’d learned to trust His heart, proving even in his conversation with Isaac that his faith was in the Lord and His character of provision (22:8).

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?
There are many, but here are the main ones.
The love Abraham has for Isaac is unmistakable, but so is the love shared between God the Father and God the Son. The love they share is deeper and more intimate than we will ever have the capacity to understand. It’s easy to be self-focused and consider how God loves us, but we forget how lavishly the Beings of the triune godhead love and delight in one another, which makes the agonizing sacrifice of the cross unbearably difficult to comprehend.
Isaac carried the wood for his own altar upon himself just as Christ carried His own cross to His place of sacrifice.
After three days of gut-wrenching waiting and internal wrestling, Abraham obeyed and offered his son as a sacrifice. Likewise, after three days of emotional loss, fear, and cowardly hiding away because it looked as if the enemy had won, Christ rose victoriously, having become “obedient to death”. (Philippians 2:8)

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?
Decades before this story of unswerving faith, God had invited Abraham to trust Him. The Lord told Abraham He would give him a son through whom all nations would be blessed and his offspring would be innumerable. (Genesis 15:5) Abraham believed, and because of his faith the Lord counted Abraham’s belief as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) In our story here, Abraham trusted the Lord would still fulfill His promise, even if he had to sacrifice his son. His confidence in God’s Word is breathtaking. When Isaac questioned where the sacrifice was (which was Isaac), Abraham answered with faith, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8) And again, Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy1 will go over there and worship and come again to you.” (Genesis 22:5) Though God had commanded a sacrifice that seemed to end all hope of the promise God Himself had made, Abraham repeatedly proved his faith in the integrity of the Lord God. Because of that faith, God provided.  He provided Isaac’s birth, He saved Isaac’s life, He provided the ram for sacrifice, and He reassured Abraham of His unchanging covenant promise to make him into a great nation. All of this because Abraham believed the Lord and chose to set Him apart as the only One worthy of the worship of his heart and life.

Everyday Application

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?
Does Abraham’s story seem impossible? How could God ask him to sacrifice his son? But take into account Jesus’ words, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26) In both instances, God is not condoning hating your family in the manner we think, He is asking us to consider how deep we love Him. Does our love for Him ring truer and run deeper than any other love, even those we love the most? If the Lord asked us to follow Him somewhere, would we obey despite the cost or would we elevate anything or anyone above Him? The cost of discipleship asks every Christ follower if we would rather trust ourselves or the heart of God. Following Jesus has nothing to do with feelings, but everything to do with trusting His heart. Notice that this test of Abraham’s love for God didn’t happen at the beginning of his faith journey, or somewhere in the middle, or even right after Isaac had been born. The test came when the Lord had proven His unending faithfulness over and over to Abraham with every obedient choice he made. Every step of obedience we take in following the Lord is one more step the Lord will use to teach our hearts to trust His own. Wherever you are, whatever your circumstance, today is an opportunity to trust Him. Will you hold onto Him or yourself?

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?
Perhaps even more interesting than the striking similarities are the obvious dissimilarities. Where Isaac, Abraham’s only son, was offered, but saved from death, Jesus, beloved Son of the Father, was offered and sacrificed. Jesus actually died and Death had its way with Him.
Where God called out to Abraham to stop the sacrifice, Jesus cried out to the Father, “Why have you forsaken me?!” and heard nothing in response; Jesus was utterly abandoned as He took on Sin for us. (Matthew 27:46) A ram caught in the thicket was provided by God to take Isaac’s place, and centuries later on a hill not far from Mt. Moriah, the Lamb of God laid Himself down as God’s provision, taking our place and dying the death we deserve because of our sin. Through Isaac’s lineage, Jesus Christ would one day be born. One almost-sacrifice of Isaac that tested the faith of Abraham as he proved he would choose to worship the Lord God alone painted an incredible picture of a total-sacrifice that would redeem all who came to Christ through faith, choosing to worship the Lord God only. Incredible!!

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?
God made an incredible promise to Abraham and rather than scoff at it, mock it, or simply not believe, Abraham trusted God at His Word, as a result god credited Abraham with righteousness. Abraham hadn’t done anything. He hadn’t built a temple, proved he was an upstanding citizen with high morals (in fact, Abraham’s integrity had room to grow…see Genesis 12:10-20), or given away his wealth to the poor to earn God’s declaration of “righteous”. No, he simply believed God at His Word. In exactly the same way, our faith in God’s Word that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us on our behalf and in our place, is credited to us as righteousness. Faith in the saving, atoning work of Jesus provides eternal redemption from sin as God declares us righteous! (Romans 5:1) Will you take the Lord at His Word?!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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The GT Weekend! Worship IV, Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Audra poignantly asked us on Monday, “Where is your suffering, Sister?”. Sit with that, letting the walls around your insides be taken down for a bit. Name your sufferings, your achings, writing them down. Jesus models worship, even in the midst of suffering. Worship not based on feelings or circumstance, but on the unchanging character of God. As you’ve written down your sufferings, take space to write down everything about God you are grateful for. If you get stuck, open up to Psalms and choose one to read, paying attention to the character traits of God. Take your suffering to the God worthy of worship!

2) Hannah received an incredible gift through her son, but she solidly fixed her focus on the Giver rather than the gift. As you think through your “worship life”, how often do you praise God for Who He is rather than for all the things you’ve received? Shifting our focus off of gift to Giver dramatically changes our hearts, making us less self-focused. Commit to giving it a try this week by intentionally focusing your worship on the character of God.

3) A position of worship that characterizes our everyday lives takes intentional practice. Worship is an area to grow in just like every other aspect of a believer’s life. Walk through Tawnya’s Journey Study from yesterday and write down each category she notes in her pathway to worship. Position, Belief, Praise, and Attitude. Consider each of these as you evaluate your own worship practices. Narrow in on an area you can grow in and take specific steps to be mindful of that area this week!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Luke 1:49-53 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Because the Mighty One
has done great things for me,
and His name is holy.
His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear him.
He has done a mighty deed with his arm;
he has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts;
He has toppled the mighty from their thrones
and exalted the lowly.
He has satisfied the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.

Prayer Journal
You have done great things, O Lord. Remarkable things I scarcely can even begin to fathom! Your mighty works extend far beyond what I understand and see in my everyday life. If I were truly to see how detailed You are, how intimately involved You are, even at a microscopic level, surely I would be unable to take it in!

How grateful I am that You remember how I am only created from dust and how graciously forgiving You are when I forget how masterful, mighty, and beautiful You are. May the sheer incredulity of Your humble willingness to lay aside Your throne to make Yourself known captivate me again and again this weekend. May my worship be a sweet fragrant sacrifice to You as I declare out loud the majesty of who You are, my God and my King!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Worship IV, Day 10 Pathway Of Worship

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Read His Words Before Ours!

I Chronicles 29:11-13
Romans 9:20-21
Luke 1:46-55
Philippians 2:6-11

Worship IV, Day 10

When I consider the coming of Christ and the events leading up to his birth, I am stunned and drawn in by the response of the key players in the narrative.  Mary, a young girl who seems to come out of nowhere, yet who is clearly chosen by God, responds to the angel’s news with courage, (despite initial fear), humility, and trust.
How is this response possible?
Did she understand what this meant?
Why don’t we see her falling apart or self-pitying?
How was she able to enter into this narrative with ease of heart, and go on to proclaim through song her worship of Yahweh God?

If I dare imagine myself in Mary’s place, I cannot with confidence say I would have the same response.  In my sin tendencies, I am focused on myself, my anxieties, and my desires.
My prayers and songs might have been more lament in nature than praise and worship. The same might be true of you.
We may wonder if our faith would live up to a big moment like this or hope that we’d have an ounce of the same kind of courage.

But are our responses of worship just a game of emotional Russian Roulette, never knowing where our hearts will land? Or are there postures God plants in us along the way that prepare the course of our heart’s worship?

Mary’s story in Luke chapter one gives us insight into her heart of worship and how God can prepare ours as well.

Where Worship Begins: Position
When Mary was given the seemingly impossible news that she would carry the Son of God, she responded, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) This simple but poignant statement reveals two things, 1) Mary already knew her position before Almighty God and 2) she humbly placed herself under His authority.

Psalm 111:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his instructions have good insight. His praise endures forever.”
This is how humility is born and stoked in a human heart.
When we rightly see God for who He is (I Chronicles 29:11-13), we will rightly see ourselves for who we are (Romans 9:20-21).
The result is a holy humility that not only understands, but embraces His will.

How Worship is Sustained: Belief
Another foundational layer of Mary’s heart is revealed when Elizabeth says of her, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”. (Luke 1:45) Mary chose to believe God’s faithfulness.
He does what He says He will do!

Her position of humility was bolstered by trusting God, not her own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5 warns us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;”.
The temptation to rely on our own understanding of circumstances, timing of events, brokenness in life, and even God’s own Word, can drive us mad and self-centered.

True worship is sustained in the recesses of our hearts by continually turning to the promises of God and His proven faithfulness.

How Worship is Proclaimed: Praise
Mary’s heart spills out through song in Luke 1:46-55. Traditionally called The Magnificat, Latin for “my soul magnifies the Lord”, we have a picture of Mary’s mouth pointing like an arrow to what her heart knew all along.

In verses 46-49, she points us to what God has done for her personally.
She is quick to say that HE has done these things, that she will be called blessed because THE MIGHTY ONE HAS DONE great things for her, and that HIS NAME IS HOLY.
There’s not an ounce here of self-exaltation.

Verses 50-53 point to God’s authority over all the earth. Mary sings of His mercy, might, provision, strength, omniscience, sovereignty, grace and justice.
She is not consumed with God’s work in her singular life.
She knows that God is over all, in all, and she is one portion of a more magnificent display of His full glory.

The last section of Mary’s song, verses 54-55, shows that she is no stranger to the Old Testament Scriptures.  She knew well the promise given to Abraham and how it would be a mercy for all of Israel. This circles back around to the sustenance of Mary’s worship: belief in the promises of God.  She recalled what she already believed, and proclaimed that the fulfillment of this promise was happening within her own womb, for the good of all mankind. 

The Same Attitude as Christ
Mary’s heart posture foreshadowed the very attitude that Jesus Himself would have. The One whom she was carrying, had been teaching her how to be carried beyond herself to a place of humble obedience that exalts God and brings every knee to bow before Him.  Philippians 2:6-11 expresses the cosmic mash-up of God cloaked in flesh.
Christ embraced a position that lead to His humility as He laid aside privilege, power, and rights. He believed the Father’s plan, stepping into limitations that we might live, into pain for our joy, and into obedience for the ultimate magnification of God.

Oh Father, create in us a holy humility that believes in your promises so we might respond in worshipful proclamation of who You are and what You have done!
Lead us into ever deeper worship!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Worship IV, Day 9 Relentless Worship: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Relentless Worship!

The Questions

1) Why was Hannah moved to worship God in this way?

2) What do we learn about how to worship God through Hannah’s song?

3) What does Hannah’s worship reveal about her heart?

1 Samuel 2:1-10

 Hannah prayed:
My heart rejoices in the Lord;
my horn is lifted up by the Lord.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
2 There is no one holy like the Lord.
There is no one besides you!
And there is no rock like our God.
3 Do not boast so proudly,
or let arrogant words come out of your mouth,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and actions are weighed by him.
4 The bows of the warriors are broken,
but the feeble are clothed with strength.
5 Those who are full hire themselves out for food,
but those who are starving hunger no more.
The woman who is childless gives birth to seven,
but the woman with many sons pines away.
6 The Lord brings death and gives life;
he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.
7 The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the trash heap.
He seats them with noblemen
and gives them a throne of honor.
For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
he has set the world on them.
9 He guards the steps of his faithful ones,
but the wicked perish in darkness,
for a person does not prevail by his own strength.
10 Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered;
he will thunder in the heavens against them.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give power to his king;
he will lift up the horn of his anointed.

Original Intent

1) Why was Hannah moved to worship God in this way?
1 Samuel 1 reveals the background to Hannah’s beautiful hymn of worship.  For years, Hannah had longed and prayed for a child.  As the barren, second wife of Elkanah, she had lived in perpetual torture by the fertile and cruel Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife.  Then in a moment, her whole world changed: God promised her a child.  Some time later, she became pregnant.  Her broken heart, anguish and resentment  (1 Samuel 1:15-16) were replaced with strength, joy and peace.  Hannah had promised to give her child to God as a gift back to Him. Her son would be His servant in the temple, if He would answer her prayer.  The words of her worship come as she is taking Samuel to the temple as a young boy to live with Eli the priest, fulfilling her vow to the Father. (1 Samuel 1:24-28)  In a moment of great personal sacrifice, Hannah worshipped God because of His work on her behalf.  He had removed her shame from being barren (a common cultural belief), and had taken away her sorrow from being childless.  Though she was leaving her son behind, her focus remained on God and His provision in her life.

2) What do we learn about how to worship God through Hannah’s song?
Think about where Hannah was at the moment she voiced this song…she was leaving her son behind!  Let that sink in.  What Hannah knew in the moment was that God had been faithful, and she would be faithful to her promise.  In her song, Hannah worshipped God for who He is, in both character and attributes.  She acknowledged God as her salvation (verse 1); for being altogether different from other gods; for being her rock (verse 2); and for being the God of knowledge (verse 3).  She spends the rest of her song explaining how He has a plan, is in complete control, and will see that justice is done (verses 4-10).  She demonstrates a deep trust in His plan beyond anything she can fathom on her own.  Hannah knew what she had promised to God, and she was committed to following through, yet she did not know how God would ultimately put her sacrifice to use.  Samuel would grow up to play a pivotal role in Israel’s history, serving as the nation’s last judge and ushering in a new era with King Saul being anointed to lead God’s people. (1 Samuel 7-9)

3) What does Hannah’s worship reveal about her heart?
This worshipful response shows us that Hannah worshipped God from a heart grounded in truth.  She was well-balanced in the truth about God and the truth about herself.  Hannah was solid in her understanding of God’s character and the fact that He is in control of everything (verses 4-10).  Even more, she was clear in her need to remain humble (verse 3), acknowledging God’s holy perfection.  Hannah’s accurate view of herself allowed her to fully trust in God and find herself in a place of rejoicing and strength, despite the fact that she was about to leave her child in the care of another.

Everyday Application

1) Why was Hannah moved to worship God in this way?
How often do you worship God because of His work in your life?  Really think for a moment. Like Hannah, we must learn to thank God regularly for His work in our life and on our behalf.  Do you wait for God to do something major?  Or do you remember to worship Him for even the smallest things?  Even when we are waiting for God to answer a big request or a deep longing we may have, we still have the reality of the gospel:  God gifted us with salvation through the death of Jesus Christ, His Son. (Romans 6:23). Nothing we can worship Him for is greater than that!  Do you keep your focus on God alone in those moments of worship, or do you have a tendency to allow your mind to become self-focused?  We must be careful in times of worship to not become preoccupied with ourselves, and end up praising ourselves for the faith I had, or the suffering I fought through, or the pain I endured, or the worship I am giving.  Our focus should be on the One and only who moved on our behalf and is the giver of all good things.

2) What do we learn about how to worship God through Hannah’s song?
How often do you worship God simply for who He is?  Do you find yourself mostly focused on the work God has done in and through your life?  Though that aspect of worship is critical (as discussed in the previous question), when we lack balance, we risk missing the fundamental component of worship that focuses on God and His character.  We must develop our worship of God for his attributes and character.   This aspect of our  worship is important because it reminds us exactly WHO we worship.  God isn’t like anyone or anything else.  He is different in every possible way.  Remembering God and His character builds our trust in Him and His plan for our lives.  To do this, we must put effort into continually growing and expanding our knowledge of God and what we know of Him. This is a lifelong pursuit we will never exhaust as we seek to know more about our infinite Creator.

3) What does Hannah’s worship reveal about her heart?
When you worship the Father, what is revealed about your heart?  Think back to the last time you were in church, or your car, or your bed, or in a chair in the morning, offering worship to God.  What was on your mind?  What occupied your thoughts?  What feelings and emotions did you have?  How do all of these reflect your heart and what preoccupies you?  Our worship and thoughts reveal much about our hearts and their current status, whether we are preoccupied with ourselves, with fear, with doubt, with demanding expectation, with truth, with faith, or with love.  Just as we learn from Hannah, we need to ensure that our worship is built on truth and focused on God alone.  Take a good look at yourself and see what comes to mind and what the Father shows you as you seek insight into your own motivations in worship.  You may want to even pray Psalm 139:23, “Search me God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns,” as you seek His wisdom.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Relentless Worship!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IV Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship IV, Day 8 Relentless Worship

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Read His Words Before Ours!

I Samuel 1-2:10
Psalm 31:19-24
Matthew 5:43-48
Romans 8:18-30
Lamentations 3:22-26

Worship IV, Day 8

Do you remember begging for a certain gift as a child?
What was it like when you received it?
Or didn’t?
Were you disappointed or was it exactly as you imagined?

What about now?
Is there something you desire more than anything?
Something you’re waiting for God to deliver?

When I’m feeling disappointed about unfulfilled desires, I think of Hannah.
Hannah was married to Elkanah, husband of two wives.
Peninnah, the other wife, had plenty of children, but Hannah, shamefully, was barren.
Adding to her heavy shame, Peninnah provoked Hannah, mocking her empty womb.
Oh, that hits your gut doesn’t it?!

Have you been in her shoes?
Maybe you’re Hannah with the ache, marked by shame, carrying shards of broken dreams,
dragging around lost hope.
Or perhaps you’ve worn Peninnah’s shoes a few times too, provoking just to stir up trouble, finding a sense of satisfaction in what you have instead of another’s “have nots”.

Each year the family traveled to Jerusalem for worship.
This particular year Hannah was so distressed, she refused food.

I see much of myself in Hannah.
I too have carried shame and broken dreams, losing hope along the way.
I too have had a “Peninnah” in my life, so distressed I hurt.
Hannah responded as each of us should, she worshipped through prayer.

Broken, empty, hungry, and weeping Hannah entered the temple, and bowed before the One True God
and worshipped. (1 Samuel 1:10)
Hannah opened her heart to her God, praying God would remove her shame and fulfill her dreams.
She asked God for a son, promising to relinquish him back to God for service in the temple his entire life.
Eli, the priest, saw her, was moved by her worship, and spoke the Lord’s word to her,
she would have a son!

Some time later, Hannah held her fulfilled promise in her arms, naming him Samuel, meaning “God Has Heard.”

No longer marked by shame and lost dreams, Hannah held the little boy hand of her dream-come-true, entrusting him to the Lord as she left him at the temple to serve the Lord.
Later, her dream son, given back in worship to the Lord, would become a wise judge and humble prophet, mighty in spirit, leading Israel.
Happily Ever After.
The End.

No, Hannah’s story does not stop here.
I’ll be honest, I usually stop here.
But if we close the book in chapter 1, we miss the pinnacle of Hannah’s heart in chapter 2.
We miss her worship.
Hannah continued a hymn of worship that had been her relentless song from the moment she first cried out to her God.

In verse one, Hannah rejoiced in God.
She did not rejoice in Samuel.

She rejoiced in the Giver, not the gift.
In fact, in all of Hannah’s prayer, she didn’t specifically name Samuel even once,
instead she focused on the character of the God who had heard her.

Hannah rejoices in her “horn.”
Just as the horn of a bull signifies its strength, Hannah declared that the Lord had removed her disgrace and weakness, replacing it with His own mighty strength.

Was Hannah strengthened because she could prove her value to Peninnah?
No, her strength was God.

Speaking of Peninnah, is she even mentioned?
No, because Hannah didn’t need to.
She didn’t carry bitterness and slander because worship had shifted her focus.

I wonder if we let worship shift our hearts as well?
In the midst of everyday life, will we relentlessly worship or relentlessly slander and self-focus, eager to return hurt for hurt, carrying the burdens of bitterness and un-forgiveness.
Hannah’s example proves we can’t worship and grudge-carry.

Verse 5 of Hannah’s song declares, “Those who are hungry have ceased to hunger.”
God was Hannah’s sole supplier.
This wasn’t about physical food, Hannah was hungry for relief.
She was hungry for her shame to be lifted and her emptiness to be filled.
What are you hungry for?

We know the ending of Hannah’s story.
We know she was freed from shame and filled with the Lord Himself.
We don’t know our story’s end.

We ask, will I ever be delivered?
Will I always be empty?

Scripture answers,
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for His mercies never end.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
I say, “The Lord is my portion,
therefore I will put my hope in him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24

Hannah wasn’t faithful to God because He was faithful to her;
she chose relentless worship before He answered her prayer.
Hannah prayed for years.
She worshipped for years.
Yet, she didn’t give up.

We may not receive exactly what we desire or when we desire it,
but our faithful God will deliver, free, fill us.
Until then, we relentlessly worship!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship IV Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship IV!

Worship IV, Day 7 Praise You In My Pain: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Praise You In My Pain!

The Questions

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Original Intent

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?
In the previous chapters (10-11), Paul defends his authority as an apostle of Christ by referring to the trials and successes he had experienced. He does not boast for his own glory, but he apparently senses the need to remind the Corinthians of what makes his opinion credible. In the verses at the beginning of the chapter 12, he details a marvelous vision he had received from the Lord. But just in case they think he’s placing himself on some sort of spiritual pedestal, he includes in his account that he was also given a “thorn in the flesh” (verse 7).  Although we are never explicitly told in scripture what Paul is referring to, we can confidently surmise it was some sort of trial he was experiencing in which he had prayed for relief (verse 8). The conjunction “but” connects Paul’s suffering with God’s answer.
Although the phrase “but God” (or something similar) appears many times in the Old and New Testaments to contrast the bad news of sin/suffering with the good news of God’s powerful sovereignty and rescue, “but He” in verse 9 precedes an answer that may not have been the one Paul was expecting to receive. It was however, the answer that led Paul to discover the deeper grace of the God he worshipped.

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?
“My grace is sufficient.” Did Paul have to wait days, or even years, to fully grasp the depth of the truth found in these four words? Commentator Albert Barnes gives us some insight into this, reminding us we don’t know the timing between Paul’s suffering, his request, and God’s answer. (studylight.org) What we do know is that at some point Paul accepted God’s answer. As we position these words within the context of his life, we have the benefit of a zoomed-out perspective. The gladness in Paul’s response reveals his heart of worship. He chose a lifetime of thankfulness even though he was bruised and battered by many hardships. (2 Corinthians 4:8-11). In Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth he rehearsed the reality of suffering several times, always emphasizing the sufficiency of God’s grace. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9; 10:13; 15:30-31; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 11:23-30) His faith in God’s bigger purpose was the very essence of the gospel he had been set apart to proclaim. He wanted all people to know this grace so that God would be worshipped forever! 1 Timothy 2:7-8

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?
Paul reminds us many times that the weakness of his frame was meant to amplify the message of God’s grace. “Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.” I Corinthians 4:8
From Question 1 above, we see Paul connect two things that don’t typically fit together in today’s way of thinking. “Power” and “weakness” would not both be words on someone’s resume. Yet Paul makes it clear that his weakness was the very thing that demonstrated his strength because his strength was from God. Paul’s continual focus on the gospel reveals his heart to communicate that God chose to save sinners because of His grace. It has always been by God’s might and God’s power that we are saved and sustained in grace. Ephesians 2:8-9  Paul accepted God’s answer and he preached it to himself as he suffered. It’s as if verse 9 was the sermon and verse 10 is Paul’s worshipful response. Paul found pleasure in God’s ways! God had shown Himself to be more than enough in every way! 2 Corinthians 9:8

Everyday Application

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?
When we see faith lived out during trials and suffering, we can either walk away angry at God or awed by Him. Paul ultimately chose awe. In the Old Testament story of Job, we find a different story play out. Though Job’s friends attempted to comfort him, they eventually talked too much and their speculative opinions about God’s purpose in suffering was skewed. Their responses contained many inaccuracies about why God allows people to suffer. (Job 42:7)  When we connect Paul’s response with his request (12:8), it indicates he had chosen to rest in the answer (or to some, a non-answer) he was given by God. Paul had asked for relief from his suffering, “but [God] said” instead of healing, His presence and power would be enough to sustain him through it. As we walk through difficult days, we may also call out to God for rescue. The psalmists sure did! (Psalms 40, 69, 80). But if we receive an answer we didn’t hope for, we can pray for the kind of faith response that will eventually lead us to say: Your will, God, not mine.

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?
Paul saw his suffering as part of his sanctification (ie: “the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” Westminster Shorter Catechism). As he came to the realization that he would not be released from this particular burden, Paul had come to know that the power of God’s grace was able to sustain him through it. Walking through the trial would best serve God’s purpose this time instead of being removed from it. God’s foundational purpose for creating us and saving us is that we would reveal His glory so that all would worship Him. Sometimes God’s answer for us is simply: “I AM ENOUGH.” And that answer requires faith and trust on our part.  “And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” (Hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?
James Boice wrote, “If you understand the two words ‘but God’ they will save your soul. If you recall them daily and live by them, they will transform your life completely.” Often, we find paradox in scripture, two seemingly contrasting ideas. We especially notice it in the gospel message. We die to live. We get low to be raised up. And here, we see that we are strong when we are weak. These two verses (9-10) begin with “but” and end in “I am strong”. Verse 10 says Paul’s pleasure in his sufferings was all due to Christ, His Redeemer. We don’t really know what Paul’s thorn was, but Paul’s thorn itself was never really the point. Given the various possibilities, we can make Paul’s situation applicable today. We can all identify with Paul in some way or another, whether it’s a season of trial or personal physical suffering. Along with Paul, we can pursue a thankful heart. Our worship comes when we make our way to our inner sanctuary, the place of soul rest. “When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless, until I entered God’s sanctuary.” (Psalm 73:16-17)
It’s in that place where God reveals that His grace is more than enough to strengthen and sustain us in our weakest moments!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Praise You In My Pain.

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IV Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship IV, Day 6 Praise You In My Pain

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 2:21-25
Matthew 5:38-48 
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Worship IV, Day 6

In my Christian journey I’ve learned a lot about myself, about God, and how those two go together. I’ve learned more of who God is and the intricacies of His character.
The more I know Him, the more I crave to be like Him.

How?
The answer is always follow Jesus’ example.

How again?
The answer is always taking in Scripture.

In 1 Peter 2:21-25, we see Jesus reviled by people, but He didn’t choose retaliation.
There were no evil threats spewing from His mouth.
He chose to entrust His life to the Father.
And then died for the salvation of the very ones who reviled Him.

In my everyday life, this example is just one Jesus is calling me to follow.
He’s teaching me to sit and be still in His presence.
He invites me not to worry about peoples’ opinions of me.

Because if He, the perfect spotless Lamb of God, was persecuted
then I should expect the same.
And if He upheld His testimony, boldly declaring unfathomable love for me
then so should I.
So should we.

And because He trusted His life to God,
then I should do the same.
So should we.

“But continued entrusting Himself (Jesus) to Him (Father God) who judges justly.”
1 Peter 2:23

It’s easy to lose sight of entrusting our lives to God in the middle of suffering.
It is as if our pain blinds us to the deeper spiritual battle,
keeping our sights set on our selfish entitlement.

Where is your suffering, Sister?

Maybe you’re fighting for a precious relationship, facing rejection, grieving a loved one, having your dreams crushed, or undergoing character assassination.

Regardless of your suffering….
Jesus’ example is to worship through it.
So should we.

Worship is not simply singing a song,
but entrusting our lives to the Almighty God.

When I was younger, I would listen to worship songs day and night.
One of my favorites was Casting Crowns’ Praise You In The Storm.

And I’ll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm

“That You are who You are… no matter where I am.”

Sisters, Our God is constant!
Who He is today is exactly Who He will be tomorrow. Hebrews 13:8
He will never leave us or forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:6
He will uphold us with His righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
We will never be tempted to sin without a way out from it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Throughout experience I’ve come to understand what praising God in my pain means, through all kinds of stages and seasons of suffering.

I’ve been the girl sitting in the bathroom stall during lunch crying because no one wanted to sit with me.
I’ve been the girl grieving the deaths of those closest to me.
I’ve been the girl sexually assaulted multiple times.
I’ve been the girl lying awake with nightmares from the trauma I’ve experienced.
I’ve been the girl ready to take her life
because I felt like death would be better than the pain.

But, Sisters.
I’m also the girl whose life was interrupted by the God who saved me and walked with me in every single one of those seasons of suffering.

God has wrapped me in His arms so tightly I had no other option but to
praise Him through my pain.

And as I look back on my suffering, I see how God used it.
Not to accomplish what I wanted most.
But to bring me closer to Him.
To shape my heart like His.

I don’t know about you, but for me I experience God in an entirely different dimension when I am cloaked in painful suffering.

I crave His presence
I crave His love
I crave His promises
I crave His comfort

Suffering is the sweet tool the Shepherd of our hearts uses to point away from our weakness and towards His everlasting strength.

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content
with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

When we worship Him through our suffering we declare His Name.
When we worship Him through our suffering we find peace and comfort.
When we worship Him through our suffering we tell the world our God is good and worthy of praise!

He is still good, gracious, merciful, and just even when life is not. Therefore, He is worthy of our praise.  

So Sisters, let’s choose worship, just as our Savior did as He gave His life for us.
Let’s choose to praise Him in our pain, entrusting our lives to the One who loves us best!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship IV Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship IV!