Devotionals

It is hard to believe, but we are quickly approaching the ninety-day mark of the new year. I have to ask, “How are you doing with the congregational goal?” If the first thought that just popped into your mind is, “What goal?” that is not a good sign. Remember, our goal this year is to “Read the Word, Talk to God, and Share Our Life” to a greater extent than ever before. So, how are you doing?

I have meet many people through the years who have claimed they want to spend more time in scripture, prayer, and ministering to others, but they just do not have the time. There have been, and continue to be, times when I am one of those people. Is time an issue? Yes, it is. There is no question that we lead incredibly busy lives, but I am convinced time is not the main issue.

The real issue, at least in my life, is who I believe God to be. Deep down, many of us view God as some distant, stoic, uninterested being who is just letting humans do their own thing until He is ready to call, “Time’s up.” Others of us view God as some being who really is not all that different than His creation. No wonder we find it difficult to find the time to communicate with God.

For this reason, we have spent the past several weeks in a study about the nature of God.
What is God’s nature? We will never know all there is to know about God, but God has revealed Himself to be…

…attentive to our cries, therefore we can pour out our heart to Him.
…same today as yesterday, therefore we can trust Him.
…much more than we are, therefore we are awed by Him.
…fair & just, therefore we must stand for justice with Him.
…jealous for us, therefore we are zealous for Him.
…swept up in joy over us, therefore we delight in Him.
…the One who knows it all, therefore we seek His wisdom.

As we come to understand, but more importantly - believe, that this is the nature of God, I am convinced that connecting with God in scripture, prayer, and ministry will be our heart’s desire and not just another activity to cram into an already busy schedule. May God be gracious enough to continue to reveal Himself to us.

--Shon Smith