Readings Today: Psalms 94-96, Galatians 2

There is so much about God in these passages and it blesses my soul to learn more and more about who He is. Here is a list of what I have seen regarding God. I will further elaborate as the Spirit leads me.

1.) He is God of vengeance
2.) He is judge of the earth
3.) He is Creator
4.) He chastens when necessary
5.) He rebukes if needed
6.) He teaches mankind knowledge
7.) He knows the thoughts of mankind
8.) He teaches
9.) He disciplines us
10.) He will not abandon His people
11.) He brings judgment
12.) He is our helper
13.) He is loving and kind
14.) He calms the soul
15.) He is our stronghold
16.) He is our refuge
17.) He is the rock of our salvation
18.) He is a great God
19.) He is a great King
20.) He is above all
21.) He owns the earth
22.) He is our Maker
23.) He loathed Israel for 40 years because of their disobedience
24.) He is to be feared above all gods
25.) Splendor and majesty are before Him
26.) Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary
27.) He reigns
28.) He judges fairly
29.) He is coming to judge the earth
30.) He gives grace

Yesterday I elaborated on each of His attributes. Today I want to elaborate more on OUR RESPONSE to who He is. In these Psalms David understood who God was. David's enemies were coming against him and He attributed God as his avenger. He acknowledged that God had been his help and without Him he would not have made it through. One of the passages that blessed me was when David said, "when my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul." 

We all get anxiety from time to time. Some struggle more than others. Some use medication to help calm their anxieties. Anxiety can be very debilitating and overpowering. Here David mentions his anxiety "multiplying within me". The Hebrew word here for multiply here is rob, pronounced simply robe. It means an abundance, greatness and numerous. 

The word for consolations is tanchum pronounced tan-khoom and it means compassion, solace. It is meant to convey being comforted and bringing calm. God does this for us. When anxiety overwhelms us we can turn to Him for solace and He will bring calm to our soul. But the thought that comes to my mind is we have to allow Him to and believe and trust He is the answer. 

David admitted that God had been his stronghold; his refuge. The enemies of David were after him. He had reached the end of his rope many times. He battled extreme anxiety over it. But all through the worst of his battles he chose to trust God. He didn't just trust Him. He knew and believed by faith that God would take care of not only him, but his enemies as well.

David had a heart for God; a man after God owns heart. He responds to who God is in the middle of the toughest of battles. Here is a list of how to respond to who God is.

1.) Sing for joy to the LORD
2.) Shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation
3.) Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving
4.) Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms
5.) Come, let us worship and bow down
6.) Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker
7.) Sing to the LORD a new song
8.) Sing to the LORD, all the earth
9.) Sing to the LORD, bless His name
10.) Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day
11.) Tell of His glory among the nations
12.) Tell of His wonderful deeds among all the peoples
13.) Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
14.) Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength
15.) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name
16.) Bring an offering and come into His courts
17.) Worship the LORD in holy attire (the splendor of holiness)
18.) Tremble before Him, all the earth
19.) Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns"

When I look at this list I reflect on the fact that NONE of us here on earth truly understand what David understood about God and His sovereignty. David's heart was so filled with gratitude. He couldn't give enough glory to the LORD. We don't even take the time to sing even one song to the LORD most days. We don't proclaim Him enough! I know for me my insecurities get the best of me. But that is only a sign of the pride in my heart. Nothing should stop me from proclaiming Him more in my life. Nothing should stop me from giving Him praise and honor for everything He has done for me. 

We are selfish people. We bring God into our little box here and there and heaven forbid we step out of our comfort zones. Our lives are filled with so many excuses as to why we can or cannot praise Him each and every day. A person can work 10 hours a day and use that excuse. But even while we are working we can somehow muster up a small thank-you to God in the midst, can't we? If we can take a bathroom break then we can find even a few minutes to pray in the midst of our day. Lunch time? Break time? But what I see is most people take that time to get on their phones and check facebook or whatever else they do. Point is that NONE of us have an excuse not to give God the glory due His name. David is an example of what a heart for God is like. It is not selfish. It is God-feared and God-focused.

I have reflected on all of this first and foremost to speak to my own heart. Do I truly desire a relationship with God that David had? Or am I content with the hum-drum of daily life and bringing God out of my box when I am ready? Many insights to ponder from today's reading.

O God Most High... Maker of heaven and earth...God of my salvation and Lord of my life... I give you praise today. I bow at Your feet for truly You humble me and cause my heart to seek You more and more as I read Your word.  I fail you every single day, Father God and my heart grieves over it. Father, I desire to have the passion that David had in his heart for You. Teach me, LORD... show me. Purge the evil thoughts of my heart and transform my mind to think as You would have me to think. Help me, Father to bring You glory. Purge the selfishness out of my heart, O God. I receive Your forgiveness for my sins and mistakes and I thank You for calming my anxious thoughts as You did for David. I submit to You today my entire being to change me and mold me into the woman you would have me to be. I bless Your holy name. Amen.