He Lifts Us Up

Monday, ‎January ‎30, ‎2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.—Hebrews 9:27

Memory verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Readings: EXODUS 23-24 MATTHEW 20:1-16

He Lifts Us Up

Psalm 40:2--A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry. 2He lifted me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; He set my feet upon a rock, and made my footsteps firm. 3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

Our lives are not about King David and his troubles-our lives are ours-our troubles are ours-but, the good stuff is also ours, thanks to the Lord God and His tender mercies and grace.

That is exactly why we look to the writings that God inspired people like King David to write. In Psalm 40, David says that God has lifted him out of the 'pit of destruction-the miry clay'.

In keeping with the premise of 'humbling myself before God' as I begin my prayer time, I see myself in the deepest part of the ocean. I looked it up. It is the 'Challenger Deep' in the Miriana trench in the Pacific and is 36,750 feet below sea level. I see myself as the lowest of the low-a black forgotten soul-and then visualize God's power lifting me up and out above the sea-a clean and shining soul-all by His power and grace.

Whether you know it or not, God has lifted you, in Christ, out of the miry clay and up and out of the pit of destruction. He has cleaned you completely and put you on His rock.

Isaiah 1:18 ►Come now, let us reason," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

God says to us, "Let us reason"-"let's settle this matter". God says for us to sit with Him and think and be reasonable according to-not our reasoning-His reasoning-His common sense.-His complete mind that says for you in Christ, there is no condemnation.(Romans 8:1)

There were men at the inception of our great country who feared God. They knew they were accountable before God for all they said, did, and thought. Daniel Webster was one such man. Someone asked: "Mr. Webster, what do you consider the most serious thought that has ever entered your mind?"

"The most solemn thought that has ever entered my mind is my accountability to my maker," he replied.

Knowing who you are in Christ and remaining humble before God should take the fear of anything in this world out of your life. In one of the 'Shrek' movies, Shrek said to the donkey, "I'm scarier than anything in that forest...".

God is ultimately more frightening than anything in this world-if you are on the wrong side of God's will. On the right side, God lifts us up out of the miry clay of this world and plants our feet on His rock of absolute certainty. He takes us out of the harm of the pit of destruction.

Micah 6:8-8He has shown you, O mankind, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

To act justly means for us to live in His truth. Sit and reason with God. Walk in His truth. Know who you are in Christ-as white as snow. Fear nothing in this world-fear only that you might walk out in the world one day without first sitting with God and letting Him center your soul on His truth.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me for not stopping to reason with You. I want Your wisdom and reason in my life.

Merciful and gracious God!

In Jesus' name,

Amen