Inches from God

 

On the first Easter Sunday, the risen Christ joined two people on their way to Emmaus, a town seven miles west of Jerusalem. As we read the story in Luke 24:13–35, they seemed to understand a great deal about Jesus: they knew he was “a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” and that he had been crucified (v. 19). They had hoped he would be the Messiah and had even heard that he had been raised from the dead. And yet, despite all of their knowledge, “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” They were eighteen inches from God—the distance from the head to the heart. Not long after, when they personally heard Jesus speak biblical truth and joined him in worship, “their eyes were opened,” and they finally recognized him for who he truly is. “They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’”. The reality of Jesus moved from their heads to their hearts. God is less a concept to be understood than a Person to be experienced. In his book Men Who Met God, A. W. Tozer reminded us: “Genuine Christian experience must always include an encounter with God.” As we focus this week on beginning our new year with God, let’s resolve today to experiencehim every day. Psalm 34:8, our verse for today, is God’s invitation: “Oh, taste and see that the Lᴏʀᴅ is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Connecting with God in a meaningful way can actually be challenging for those of us who meet with God using devotionals like this one. We can assume that because we are making time for God, we must be experiencing God. However, as I have learned personally over the years, our heads and our hearts are only as connected as we choose for them to be. If we’re not careful, it’s possible we could learn more about God without truly experiencing his love.  So how can we experience God in a transforming way every day? First, we must meet him in his word: Hebrews 4:12 reminds us, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God longs to speak to our hearts through his word. Connect with God in prayer:Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (my emphasis). Listen for his voice in his creation: Psalm 19:1 puts it this way, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Engage in deep relationships with other believers: Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Francis Schaeffer was right when he titled one of his books He Is There, and He Is Not Silent. God is with you right now and desires to connect with your heart. Will you listen for his voice and experience his transforming presence today?

1. Meditate on the fact that God wants to speak to you today. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). 2. Make time to hear his voice in Scripture, prayer, and worship. As you read the following verse, ask the Spirit to speak through it to you. If you can, write down the thoughts that come to your mind and respond to God with gratitude and praise. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105) 3. Spend time dwelling on the truth that God is your refuge today. Ask God to help you walk in the life that he intends for you today.  “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8).

My Heart Your Home | Maverick City Music

The time to seek intimacy with God is before we even recognize we need more intimacy. When the rain starts, it’s too late to go home for an umbrella. When an enemy surrounds us, it’s too late to run to the fortress. Choose to make God your refuge today. Then ask yourself: Who do I know who needs to do the same? Invite them to claim your Father’s promises in the Psalms, “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30). When you draw close to him, “under his wings you will find refuge” (Psalm 91:4). Will you live “under his wings” today? Extended reading: Psalm 91

New Mercies 1/9

 I agree that living by faith isn’t natural. Doubt is natural. Fear is natural. Living on the basis of our collected experience is natural. The past two or three years has been a deeper shift in not trusting what was once not doubted. But I remind myself that the only sure basis for living is the inerrant Word of God. One cannot add cultural themes to Scripture or manipulate a verse for selfish gain. We will each stand before our Lord with an account of our lives. God’s grace and mercy are new each day as we face the unexpected.

“Your faithfulness allows God to reveal greater insight to you than to the less faithful. Faithfulness brings opportunities to you that are not given to the unfaithful. God takes pleasure in answering prayers that come from a faithful heart.” Experiencing God. By Henry Blackaby

New Mercies 1/8

 Paul Tripp says “ I don’t know where I was when the memo went out. I’m not sure why I missed the discussion.” I missed a lot of teaching on how the Christian life functions when I was young. Even though I had read Romans 8 several times, I missed the point of the importance of living by the Spirit, rather than the flesh. The tension and conflict of my own sinful desires and the pull of sin temptations in the world can easily get me off track if I’m not in focus with the Holy Spirit. Talking out and praying my issues is a tremendous help, allowing me to have greater peace, contentment and joy, despite the issues around me.

“Better to obey what God says immediately than to wait until we think we are in a position to say yes. We can become so concerned with what it might cost us to obey that we fail to consider the tragic price of disobedience.” -  Henry Blackaby

New Mercies 1/7

 Thinking about many of the news headlines of 2022, one could summarize them with words similar to discouragement, worry, anxiety, or turmoil. Our world needs rest and peace, which can only be found in Christ. I wonder what would happen if every Christ follower became restless for His leading instead of anxious about our world. 

“There are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity. Maturity only comes through hard work and obedience to what God says. The next time you hear Jesus speaking, immediately begin to firmly build His truth into your life, so that no storm can unsettle you.” - Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby. 

New Mercies 1/6

Being faithful to our walk with Christ is not a self congratulatory journey, thinking that we are doing so much for God, that He couldn’t get along without us. I’m finding g that following Him often means facing my own weakness and and temptation to wander. I need His grace just as much or more as I get older.  Following Christ is trusting His wisdom, not mine or the trends of our culture  

“Your faithfulness allows God to reveal greater insight to you than to the less faithful. Faithfulness brings opportunities to you that are not given to the unfaithful. God takes pleasure in answering prayers that come from a faithful heart.” - Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby

New Mercies 1/5

 I’m re-learning what Tripp says:  God is with me in my darkness because He will never leave me. But my darkness isn’t dark to Him. My mysteries and unexplainable situations aren’t mysterious to Him. My surprises don’t surprise Him because nothing is a surprise to Him. He understands all the things that confuse me. Not only are my mysteries not mysterious to Him, but He is in complete charge of every single detail.

“Too often we acknowledge... that God can do whatever He wants, then we add a safety clause: “But I just don’t think God will do that with me!”  We become practical atheists, believing that God can perform miracles but never expecting a miracle in our own lives.” - Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby

New Mercies 1/4

 Paul Tripp says, “ If eternity is the plan, then it makes no sense to shrink your living down to the needs and wants of this little moment.”. I ge Ty very distracted with what I want right now. I often need to remind myself that God knows everything, even the small details of my life. There are no surprises to Him. He knows me far better than I know myself and wants to teach me a thing or two, mostly about Him. If I’m being prepared for eternity, I had better be awake to His leading.

“When God speaks about His plans, He does so with everything already in place to fulfill His word. God never speaks hypothetically. He knows exactly what will come to pass. He simply asks you to believe Him.” - ExperiencingGod by Henry Blackaby