Saints, 10 Aug 2010
Are you Kneeling?
I spent the last week at a conference designed to help me improve my chosen craft, which is trumpet playing. I’m sure you have been to a conference like this. You get “re-charged.” You learn some new things about your field of work. And hopefully you are inspired. I would have to say that yes all of this happened to me. But I wondered at the motivation to improve—what is driving me? What is driving the folks at this conference to want to improve? I am sure that some simply love music and want to be able to participate in musical experiences more fully. Some may love the limelight which performing music provides. Some may simply love the sound of a certain instrument like God’s favorite—the trumpet (one concordance shares that the word trumpet is found 61 times in the Bible). Some may crave a status or level of success in the eyes of an adoring public. Some may want to improve their ability to teach others to experience music more effectively. And some may desire that somehow through their craft, God is glorified.
I did meet someone at this conference who was absorbed with glorifying God through His music and his life. He grew up very poor in Northwestern China . Today, however, God has led him to study music in the States. He is pursuing a doctorate in music. This young man inspired me. His life was kneeling.
Here is my point for this week. I hope this encourages you to go deeper with your All-Mighty, Creator God, who loved you before the foundation of the world. I will share a word picture to help explain. We all have a “throne room” in our hearts. And in this throne room is a throne, or a chair--a seat. What matters most in life is “Who or what is on your throne?” The Bible is clear that every tongue will confess and every knee will bow in admission that Jesus Christ is Lord. My friend, the question for us is what about right now? What or who is on your throne? Yourself? Your career? Your family? Your status? Your name? Maybe it is simply a thing like golfing or sports or radio control models. It was clear to me that my Chinese friend was kneeling at the throne in his heart because Jesus was seated on his throne. His life is not about him—his life is about Jesus.
I know this is very deep. I know it is probably much too deep for a weekly prayer devotional. Please know that I am writing to share with you a deep wrestling in my own heart. Am I completely surrendered to Jesus? Will I be/do anything He leads me to be/do at whatever the cost? At the heart of these questions is an issue for many of us—the issue of trusting God. Do we trust Him? Not do we believe he exists—scripture is clear about that. Even the demons believe he exists and shudder. No, the issue is much deeper. Do you know that you know that true satisfaction in this world’s life and the next, only comes from Jesus. When we believe this, we are willing to be/do whatever He desires—whatever the cost!
Friends, this is my struggle right now. Will I completely surrender? I want to surrender now more than any other time in my life. Maybe you have already been there, praise God. Maybe you are right there with me—struggling with surrender, praise God.
The Most High Creator God who spoke this world into existence, who sent His Son to fix us—to forgive our sins, transform our broken hearts, and purchase a place in heaven which we could never earn or deserve ourselves, is worthy of our kneeling before Him in the throne room of our own heart!
This means living for Him or allowing Him to live through us—not living for ourselves.
Yes, Jesus is Lord. But, is He Lord of you?
Father, please be glorified maximally in our lives. Lead us, we will follow.
Please work through the following verses and pray.
Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Romans 3:23 (NIV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 (NIV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
James 2:19 (NIV)
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
Hosea 6:3 (NASB)
3 "So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth."
3 "So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth."
Galatians 2:20 (NASB)
20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Father, please be glorified maximally in our lives. Lead us, we will follow.
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