Is Our Heavenly Father Difficult to Please?

December 23, 2011

Scripture: Proverbs 23:15,16

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad, even mine; Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak right things.

Observation

So this is how to please parents. Since this is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it’s also a good indicator of how we as God’s children can make our heavenly Father’s heart be glad and rejoice.

Application (Personal)

It’s not necessarily the difficulties I face or even the mistakes I make, it’s my responses that are so valuable. As Solomon went on to explain, we’re constantly tempted to distracting desires and relational questions (“How come evil people get to enjoy such opulence”). Ignoring that, or rather, looking through and beyond that, we are instructed to pursue wisdom, specifically the wisdom that comes from the Lord:

"Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is a latter end [a future and a reward], and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off. Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way [of the Lord]."

Prayer (adapted from James 1)

Heavenly Father—Dad—I consider it wholly joyful whenever I am enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. I rest in confident assurance, understanding that the trial and proving of my faith brings out endurance and steadfastness and patience, which you know that I need more than wealth or convenience. So, I will let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that I may be among the people who are perfectly and fully developed, with no defects, lacking in nothing.

Okay, you know that I am deficient in wisdom. I’m catching on to that, too. So I ask you for wisdom, knowing that you give that to everyone who asks for that by faith, and you answer that liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding.

I realize now that every good gift and every perfect gift is from you. It comes from you, the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. After all, of your own will, you begat us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of your creatures.

Father, because you love me so, I choose to be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. I want my actions to reflect your wisdom and the words off my lips to delight you with faithfulness, truthfulness, and grace.

Rewarded Worship

December 20, 2011

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 15:7

Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded.

Observation

Asa’s history with the Lord caused this prophecy to be appropriate for him. In response, Asa aggressively continued his devotion to the Lord (verses 8-13):

“And when Asa heard these words … he (1) took courage and (2) put away the abominable idols from all the land … and he (3) repaired the altar [of burnt offering] of the … (4) and he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon … (5) and they sacrificed to the Lord on that day from the spoil which they had brought … (6) and they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to yearn for Him with all their heart's desire and with all their soul … (7) and that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.” 

Application (Personal)

God’s Word is provided for my encouragement, too. My application of His Word is not the same as was appropriate (I suppose) for Asa, but it does point to appropriate resonses and corresponding spiritual zeal:

1.     Take courage, because God rewards good works.

2.     Put away anything that reduces or distracts from my love of the Lord.

3.     Repair what is culturally or personally damaged or neglected in my worship of Jesus.

4.     Gather with people who are also willing to worship the Lord.

5.     Return thanks to the Lord for his favor and goodness to us.

6.     Renew our corporate covenant with the Lord.

7.     Separate my heart from anyone or anything that opposes the Lord.

Prayer (from 2 Chronicles 16:9)

Lord, your eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show yourself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect [shalem—8003, full, complete, whole, uninjured, peaceful, friendly, cherished] toward you. You look and you keep looking for such worshipful relationship, only to be continually disappointed and hurt by our foolish half-heartedness toward you. Please inspect my life and my heart today. May the words of my mouth, the meditations of my heart, and my responses to your grace be a source of delight and pleasure to you. Amen.