Wednesday, 17 June 2009

It really helps to stay calm and believe for the best possible outcome

Our thoughts really are SO important!

"Now to Him who by the power (**dunamis) at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine."
--Ephesians 3:20 (nrsv)

**dunamis: force; specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might, power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.

So what are you asking or imagining? Are you thinking about the things you want to happen or about all the bad things around you that are making you unhappy?

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.
Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing.
Then the God of peace will be with you.

--Philippians 4:8-9 (nlt)

Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Love by another name: praise and worship

Driving to work this morning I got to thinking about that age old question...why would God create people and then want them to worship Him? It really can't be about a big ego. And then out of the blue an answer came up... what if we think of praise and worship in the wrong way? Yes, God is holy and good and awesome and mighty and deserves to be praised, BUT what if praise and worship really just boils down to adoration and love?

God IS love, created us out of love and for a love relationship. So it must feel pretty empty and lead to heartache if we don't love God back when He already loves us sooo much. I mean, I could actually imagine that empty aching place in God's heart when we don't return His love.. almost like human love relationships when the one you love doesn't love you back.

Today my heart feels the pull of God's "need" for me to love Him (although of course in the strictest sense God doesn't need anything). And it's my joy to be in this love relationship with the King of the universe.