4 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Ezekiel 3:16–6:14
Hebrews 4:1-16
Psalm 104:24-35
Proverbs 26:27
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Psalm 104:31 (NLT): “May the glory of the LORD continue forever! The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made!”
Reflections from Scripture:
Imagine that God was an angry God without any happiness. His holiness would fuel his anger against us (Ephesians 2:3). He might be content to consign us all to an eternal Hell.
But, while God is angered at sin, He is also a happy God. Psalm 104:31 says that “the LORD takes pleasure in all he has made!” While His creation has been marred with sin and sin’s consequences (Genesis 3), He is working to redeem it. His love for us compels Him (John 3:16). His desire to glorify Himself by the measures He has taken to bring us back to Himself (Romans 5:8) demonstrates how wonderful a God we serve is. And His happiness will ultimately be our joy and experience in this life but most certainly in the life to come (Nehemiah 8:10; Revelation 21:4-7).
We serve a happy God, friend. And that’s a very good thing!
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are a happy God. I wouldn’t want to spend eternity (forever!!!) with an unhappy God. Help me to see Your happiness is written on the pages of Scripture and into the circumstances of my life. And then help me to enjoy You and cultivate a happy attitude for myself. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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