Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Seeking the face of the Lord (Part 1)

I was pondering this morning on my life of the past 20 years, and how I had become so stuck in my Christian walk for so many years and was not progressing out of such a dry place like I had believed I should have been progressing.  The Lord took this thought and brought me to a scripture in Ezra.

Ezra 3:10-15 (NASB)
 Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord according to the directions of King David of Israel. They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, “For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.  Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.

I tend to hold on to the past with a voracious tenacity which only leads me to a place of ‘weeping for the way things used to be’, much like the priest’s and Levites recounting the past move of God in Isreal.  But, what God is saying now is that 'it is the time for a new grace,' and with a new grace comes a new understanding and a fresh revelation of Him.

Philippians 3:7-10 (KJV)
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Paul being a ‘Jew’s Jew’, or as we might put it ‘a man’s man’ after the law, he was raised with the finest teachers, schools and background.  He was raised to be a committed religious man of God.  His response regarding his past (-even though it was probably a great upbringing with many happy memories).  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ…, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ”  Why?  The answer is simple…” That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection”.

1 John 2:15-17  (NASB)
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Lord, may I continue to surrender to you the many times in my life where I received encouragement, counsel and blessing from you, and the growth that resulted from that encounter.  Thank you for what you have taught me, but help me not put my confidence or hope in what you have done for me in the past, but trust you for my daily sustenance.  I realize that I need ‘My Daily Bread’ from you, that is your fresh grace.   And with that fresh grace is the need for a new and fresh revelation of you. 
 
Help me to be satisfied in you and you alone.

Satisfied With You

(words and music by Andy Park)

God you are my God, (God you are my God)
Earnestly I seek Your face
God you are my God, (God you are my God)
Earnestly I seek Your face

(Bridge)
I will lift You high, (I will lift You high)
I will lift Your name on high
I will lift You high, (I will lift You high)
I will lift Your name on high

How I thirst for You, (how I thirst for You)
Everyday I thirst for You
How I thirst for You, (how I thirst for You)
Everyday I thirst for You

(Chorus)
I have seen You in the sanctuary
I have seen Your power and I have seen Your glory
I am satisfied with You, I am satisfied with You

Copyright © 1994 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

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