Daily Devotional: Monday, Jan 4
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Expectations
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Sing, Sing, Sing by Chris Tomlin, Run by Hillsong United; Glory by Hillsong; Hosanna by Hillsong United; How He Loves by David Crowder Band.
Read: Psalms 36:5-6; Mark 8:27-29; Ephesians 3:18-19
Think: Pastor Ben talked about expectations this weekend at church - And not just any expectations but our expectations when it comes to God and how he operates in our lives. As Ben keyed in on the fact sometimes we keep our expectations low it reminded me of a book I read some years ago by J.B. Phillips called, "Your God Is Too Small."
Phillips' idea was that oftentimes we just attribute human characteristics to God because we don't know Him - he used examples like God as a resident policeman or Santa Claus or a stern father. But God is so much more than that! And He wants us to know Him.
The best way for that to happen is using the Bible is our roadmap. A great way to begin is simply to look at the names of He is called by throughout Scripture. Here are just a few:
- Jehovah-jireh - the God who provides
- Jehovah-shalom - the God of peace
- Jehovah-rophe - Jehovah heals
- El-Shaddai - God Almighty
- Abba, Father - Daddy
- Adonai - Master or Lord
- Elohim -Strength or Power
And then we can look at those passages that give us a glimpse of His heart... David gives us an amazing picture when he writes that God's unfailing love is "vast as the heavens", His faithfulness "reaches beyond the clouds." He compares God's righteousness to "mighty mountains" and His justice to the "ocean depths." How can we begin to know how vast God is? How do we keep from making God too small? Ask God to help you to really know Him, sense Him, see Him for who He really is.
Do: Give up the limits you have placed on God. See Him as He truly is, as He has revealed Himself in His Word. (Click Here for a great resource from the Navigators to help get you started.)
Pray: Father, I want to know You. Help me see you for who You really are. Forgive me for making You small... for the times I doubt... for the limits I place on You... Enlarge my vision today, I pray. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
