Wednesday, February 4, 2009

REVIVING PRECEDES REJOICING -- Devotional for February 4, from "Good Seeds"

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

Too many Christians have privately given up on God, even though outwardly they maintain a religious facade. They say they believe in Him, but their words and attitudes deny it, and when times get tough they worry and complain right along with the rest of the world. If God doesn't make it all smooth sailing they stop imploring heaven and start challenging it: “Is there anyone else up there? Maybe I'm just going to have to fend for myself from here on out!” Oh, they may still mutter a memorized meal prayer, and mumble a few amens with the saints down at the church, but gone are the days of close, personal, intimate conversation with their Heavenly Father. Convinced that God is no longer thinking or caring about them, they stop thinking or caring about Him. Before they know it they are living the life (the lie) of the “Practical Atheist.” That's the guy who says he believes in God, but the way he thinks and lives denies any true knowledge of a Caring Provider. Does this describe anybody you know? Does it describe you? Oh, you may not fit the exact description of a practical atheist, but if your faith is failing, if you find no joy in church or the Bible or Christian music – and if God’s people are beginning to bug you or bore you – the symptoms are close enough. You might be saying to yourself, “If I felt better – if things were going better – then I could rejoice in the Lord a lot better. Once I get those things fixed, then I’ll rejoice, and maybe even rejoin the fellowship of rejoicers! But right now, it’s better for all concerned if I just stay away!” Anyone thinking this way has it exactly backwards: It isn’t a matter of fixing our circumstances so that we can rejoice, but rather we must rejoice first, in the midst of the circumstances, knowing God’s in charge. But who can rejoice like that? Only one who has been revived. The only remedy for the sick condition of powerless religion is given in Psalm 85:6, “Will you not revive us again, O Lord, that we may once again rejoice in You?” Don’t try to pray your problems away. Rather, pray for the fire in your heart to be rekindled: “Lord, first revive my soul – that’s more important than restoring my health or re-ordering my life.” But Jesus said that when we make soul business our first priority, the body business will be taken care of. He sees to it. That’s His promise (Matt. 6:33): Put the things of the spirit first, “His kingdom and righteousness,” and then “all these things,” the troublesome things of this life, will fall into place (by His providential hand, of course). So, get revived, brother, and then the rejoicing will return!

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