True confession: I wrote this on the morning of January 1.
At this point, I will be using 2 outside sources during my Encounter Time this year (besides the Bible reading I normally do). One, New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp (which I have used previously about 3 times. I took about a 2 year break), and Truth for Life, a 365 day devotional by Alistair Begg. Any reference I make to them will either be NMM (Tripp) or TFL (Begg).
To begin the year Begg focused on Genesis 1:1 (You probably know that by heart. 🙂 ). His basic thought was that God is God. He was before time, i.e. there was never a time God did not exist. He always existed in the Trinity- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
I’m not going to belabor the point in order to impress you (I can’t do that anyway). Instead, I want to lead off this new year with something I think is really important: no matter how deep a person wades into God; no matter how astute someone becomes by his study of God and His nature; no matter how conversant someone gets about God’s attributes, it is all for naught if God does not live in that person’s heart. It’s like the old saying, “Much learning doth make thee mad.” (Festus to the Apostle Paul in Acts 26:24)
Knowing about God is not the same as abiding in God. Knowing about God is not the same as allowing Him to reign over me and to change me.
“Father, I pray that this year will truly be a year of growing closer to You, of more than knowing stuff about You but really knowing You. As I read and journal help my words to be words You gave me, words that You are teaching me. Help me never to do this to impress others but to always lift Your name high.”
May that be my desire as well, to Love God Deeper… worship him more.
That phrase just hit me as I prayed yesterday morning in worship at church. That will be my daily prayer as well.