You, even You, are to be feared [with awe and reverence]! Who may stand in Your presence when once Your anger is roused?
If you just stop and think about all the things that have to happen for you to continue living, you'll soon figure out why God deserves your awe and reverence. Even on the surface, you have to keep breathing, your heart has to keep beating, you have to maintain your temperature so your body doesn't cook itself, you have to maintain your pH so all the cellular processes within the body can proceed, and at this point you haven't even gotten out of bed yet! God's design is so flawless. But God is also the rule maker. There are certain things He just won't have. I haven't ever felt the wrath of God but in reading about it in the Old Testament, I'm so glad I was born under the new covenant. I can't with the wrath because its righteous, its fair, and its literally God taking His presence back. I need Him so no.
Psalm 76:9
When God arose to [establish] judgment, to save all the meek and oppressed of the earth.
God wants to see us do right. He knows we will fail miserably and will continue to come up short but God respects effort. Are you being kind to others? Are you considering other people's feelings? Do you love your neighbor? Do you ever make sacrifices for others? What kind of person are you? Would others call you selfish? God very clearly has a heart for the lost, the oppressed, and the forgotten. I want the things that break God's heart to break mine too. I want to be more like Him than unlike. Lord, give me a heart that sees people the way you see them.
Psalm 77:1-3
I will cry to God with my voice, even to God with my voice, and He will give ear andhearken to me.
In the day of my trouble I seek (inquire of and desperately require) the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out [in prayer] without slacking up; I refuse to be comforted.
I [earnestly] remember God; I am disquieted and I groan; I muse in prayer, and my spirit faints [overwhelmed].
I'm a huge believer in this. Just this morning, with tears streaming down my face, I made known my discomfort and my desire to see certain things come to pass. You see my God hears my cry. I know that God will only do what is right for me but what I love about Him is I can tell Him that my heart hurts in the waiting and that's okay. I can make it known to Him that this is hard. Just because waiting establishes and re-establishing my faith, builds my character, and shows me the power of an absolutely faithful God doesn't mean its easy. I'm waiting on things that I've been waiting on a long time. I'm waiting on things that I've dreamed of but have never seen. <----That's a faith walk ok! And its a walk that drives me to my knees so regularly. It drives me to prayer and worship at all times. The Bible says faith the size of a mustard seed but that's a lot to muster in certain situations.
Psalm 77:12
I will meditate also upon all Your works and consider all Your [mighty] deeds
You know what does encourage my faith in the waiting? That scripture is a part of my life on a daily basis. When I think about the Lord....when I meditate on the things He's already done. It really does inspire praise in me. I know He can cause He already has. And the things He's already done are innumerable. I think its possible to get caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle but I need to meditate regularly on how He's provided for me already.
Psalm 77:13
Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary [in holiness, away from sin and guilt]. Who is a great God like our God?
No one. No one is like our God. That's the game.
Psalm 78:7
That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but might keep His commandments
My hope is found in Him. There's not where else I can go and find anything I actually need. I seek God rather selfishly. I'm always asking for things, for clarity, of favor, for blessing. I'm always asking why and what and when. He's my hope. He's the only thing I can firmly rely on. You know....the commandments are an interesting things for me. Of course there are there 10 but there is also the great commandment of being loving. I am constantly pursuing this commandment, failing but trying none the less. Being loving is so hard sometimes. When people have wronged you or hurt you, remaining loving is hard. I think barriers are appropriate then. I don't love you less. I just love you from farther away. But I still love you. I also think this is an area so many get wrong. Just because you feel I should or shouldn't be doing something a certain way doesn't mean you shouldn't be loving towards me. That's something many struggle with. I do too but I'm trying. I'm trying.
Psalm 78:22
Because in God they believed not [they relied not on Him, they adhered not to Him], and they trusted not in His salvation (His power to save)
I don't know this place. And I'm so thankful but its somewhere lots of people find themselves. Even people who use to know Him can find themselves here. One thing I've found is that its essential to keep seeking Him. Its essential to keep striving to see God. Faith is required for faith. When you don't exercise your faith, you can lose it. I'm too desperately in love with Him to let that happen but I realize that having and maintaining that fire takes work. Don't let yours go out.
Psalm 78:37
For their hearts were not right or sincere with Him, neither were they faithful andsteadfast to His covenant.
ep seek Approach God honestly. I mean lets be serious. Who are you lying to?!?!?! WHO ARE YOU LYING TO?!?!? The creator everything that has ever existed? Oh yea, that makes all the sense. Girl STOP! And let's take it one step further. God wants to give you the desires of your heart. How is he going to do that if you don't tell Him what you want? How? Don't worry I'll wait on this illogical foolishness. Listen....I know that was extra raw but I'm so serious. He's your God. You're His creation. He knows the number of hairs on my head? How dare I stand here and try and convince Him of something that isn't true when He quite literally knows the future? I dare not. That's not what this passage is about but I just needed to say that.
Being steadfast is important. In this season of fasting and praying, there's been nothing more important than consistency. I get on my knees everyday. I listen to worship music everyday. I'm constantly in a state of seeking Him. Keeping convenient with God, remaining faithful to an unwavering Father....its not a walk in the park but its doable and worth it.
Psalm 78:58
For they provoked Him to [righteous] anger with their high places [for idol worship] and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.
God is a jealous God. He wants your heart. He wants your mind. He wants your spirit. He wants to be your sole desire. God even makes it very clear that if you seek Him FIRST, everything will be added. Not some things....everything. One of the most important things from a prophecy I received years ago was that God calls me His. He says "You're mine." I love that possessiveness. I love that He wants me and calls me His own. Just for clarity, I'm not the only one He feels that way about. Jesus died for the sins of all people. He is just as possessive and desiring of a relationship with you. God is jealous for my heart. ::swoon::
Psalm 79:9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name! Deliver us, forgive us, andpurge away our sins for Your name’s sake
Sin separates us from God. And to be honest, its not always God. A lot of times its us. I know that my guilt makes me hide but I also know that I can be forgiven and walk right back into the light of His presence and be welcomed there. That is the great gift of salvation: guilt need not abide. Let that stuff go. He has.
Psalm 80:3
Restore us again, O God; and cause Your face to shine [in pleasure and approval on us], and we shall be saved!
The only imagery I can come up with for what it feels like to stand in God's glory is standing the sun at 12 noon when its warm on your skin and blinding to look at. Your eyes are closed but its bring orange behind your eyelids. That's what I feel like when I worship. Its why I close my eyes even when its dark outside. The love of God is literally blinding. I also have this super goofy smile on my face. Y'all don't judge me because the Lord brings me exceedingly great joy. Actually laugh if your want. He's mine and I'm His. He's perfect and I'm perfected in Him. I'll follow Him anywhere. He's my hope and my peace. He's my heart's first love.
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