Unscrambled

It often concerns me that I tend to awake in the morning with thoughts as scrambled as the eggs I might have for breakfast. Rather than immediately think of the Lord, my mind ventures down paths of distraction and diversion. Too often, the words of the Psalmist fail to characterize my own initial experience of the day.

“As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

I have recently realized a major reason for my failure to behold, namely, my focus has been on my beholding rather than on God’s face and likeness. I’ve concerned myself far more with the response I should have than the One who inspires an early gaze Heavenward. By this, I do not mean to imply that my response is not important and necessary. Certainly it is. I am not a programmed robot, but rather a living person, free in Christ to seek or to not seek Him. However, what most (only) causes me to genuinely “look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith?” (Hebrews 12:2). The answer is simply the remembrance and affirmation that He is looking unto me. “Many, O LORD my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (Psalm 40:5).

We will not get far in our walk with God apart from the ongoing remembrance that the tributary of our faithfulness ever and always flows from the abundant source of His faithfulness. “ There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High” (Psalm 46:4). Christ is the river; we who believe are the streams. I hope to awaken more and more to this joyful remembrance of His perfect devotion to me. I would ask for your prayers accordingly, and I will offer the same for you. As we do, our own devotion will unscramble in our hearts and minds, causing early receptions of the grace that leads to faith, worship, and an obedience born not of mere duty and obligation, but of loving gratitude, affection and wonder…

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19) “He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of His belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)