Perception to Reality

Tuesday, October 22,2024

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-Your peace-Your knowledge and discernment. I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name...

Verse of the Day:  Proverbs 15:23

23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,

    and a word in season, how good it is!

Memory verse: Psalm 42:2(New American Bible )

"My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God?"

Today's reading:   Jeremiah 1-2 1 Timothy 3

Perception and Reality

Have you had the chance to sit and visit with someone who you have felt was a real person of honor or intelligence. Someone like a movie star but that was not really famous? This is someone you may not even have heard of until later in your years but all of a sudden, here is this person who has the respect of a certain community who wants to talk to just you.

I went to seminary in 1985. My systematic theology teacher, before I got to my first class, was just another professor. I thought. After the first class with him, my perception had completely changed. He was something of a hero-in one class period.

I had to make an appointment to go to his office for clarification on part of the course. I was excited to be able to simply sit across the desk from this 'great man'. Low and behold, he took a liking to me. I was about ten years older than the average seminary beginner and had been a school teacher and had been a heavy equipment operator since my childhood and that interested him. I had a connection with a man who had actually 'written books'.

 He'd say, "Walk with me Enloe, there's something I want you to see." We would wind up on the lawn under a tree listening to another professor give a lecture on a new book. He has gone on now but I will always remember his kindness to 'just another student' and his friendship.

There was something about being with a person with a 'mind big as His heart'.

This relationship showed me a couple of things. For one thing, it raised my own hope for what I might do in God's kingdom. Another thing was that it gave me a greater understanding of what being in God's presence is like.

God is greater than all. Once you sit and listen to God(meditation) your perception of God changes drastically and gets bigger every time you are alone with Him. God wants us to walk with Him because He has so much for us to see. He invites us to sit and reason with Him(Isaiah 1:18) so we learn a little more at a time how He thinks.

The point is, God is greater than all the people we honor in this life-all the people we see as famous or amazing.

God is bigger than all the 'stars'-because He made the stars.

This God-our God-the Lord of all the ages-He invites you-to come and reason-to 'come walk with me'. God invites us to enjoy His greatness and even to be His dwelling place-inside us.

Hallow His name? Pray that God teaches you how to greatly hallow His Holy name and He will become Your reality.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Teach me to hallow Your name-to feel Your greatness-to stand in awe when I kneel. I ask for Your kingdom bread today to empty myself before You. I confess all my filth. Lead me away from evil.

Welcoming Lord and friend,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen