Isaiah 43:1-4,7 - But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you...he who formed you..."Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...you are precious and honored in my sight...Do not be afraid, for I am with you...everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
So, it's 4:00 a.m. and I'm wide awake. A Christian song kept repeating itself each time I awoke last night. It's titled, To God Alone and it was written and sung by Aaron Shust. Don't you know that God can awaken you in the middle of the night when He wants to teach you something? He can do that. He's God! And we can either turn over and ignore His voice or we can listen. He musta known the attitude of my heart when I went to bed last night! No, He did know the attitude!
I was fretting about how poorly I golfed last night. "You need to practice more," my husband drove into my head--no pun intended. Then I went on to complain about how old and fat I was getting! I put all thoughts and the suggestion to rest and fell asleep. So I awoke multiple times, this song going through my head. The words that kept ringing in my hears were: To God alone be the glory, To God alone be the praise. Everything I say and do, Let it be all for You. The glory is Yours alone, Yours alone.
Yesterday, and somehow all this I'm spelling out will come together, I promise, I was reading in 1 Corinthians about the gifts God gives to us. Some are the talents we have in the natural world. Some are spiritual. The point I want to make is that God has given each of us specific, diverse gifts. We will not always have the gifts others have. I won't go into 1 Corinthians, but will point this out: 1 Corinthians 12:6 says: ...there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. It is God who works these gifts within us.
So my point is, am I giving God the glory for anything? This was one of the questions I was asking myself before I arose. I believe not only will God awaken us, but will be the asker of those questions. Harumph. My guess is He is trying to show me something about myself. If I say that I am in Christ, that I am a follower of Christ and claim He is the center of my life, do people know this about me? The thought came to me that I just don't wear my Christianity on my sleeve. But that's what He wants us to do. Why hide Him if He's that important?
Then another thought came to me. Ugh. Do I keep Him hidden because I'm not exhibiting all the qualities a good Christian should? God was letting me know all night long through the chorus of that song what I should be doing...giving God all the glory...for my gifts, talents and how He made me. I was not giving Him the glory for any of these things.
"You need to practice more." There's the answer God was giving me. I need to practice more my Christianity. I need to practice more my patience, thankfulness, love and sharing of Jesus. Yes, He redeemed me. He summoned me by name and I am His. He is with me always and He considers me precious and honored in His sight. I am created for His glory. Oh, I am thankful for so many things and I realize God has given them to me. But when it comes down to myself, I guess I've not been so satisfied. That is not giving God glory. Shame on me. I've been reprimanded--and it's wonderful.
How He loves us. And He chastens those He loves. I've been chastened through the lyrics of a song that God created through Aaron Shust! To God alone be the glory. I love it when He awakens something within to reveal something He needs to work out. We're all like onions, I've heard, when we come into relationship with the Lord. Little by little the old nature layers are peeled off until we reveal nothing more than the character of God. I have a long way to go--and not much time left because I'm so old--so I'd better thank God for these early morning awakenings. I understand as you age you don't sleep as well. Bring it on!
Psalm 71:8 - Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day
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