Forget or Remember?
Isn’t it easy to forget things? It seems like my brain tends to selectively “forget” things at times. Ella and I have been memorizing Psalm 103 and the phrase in verse 2 “and forget not all his benefits” caught my attention. How quickly do I forget His blessings and kindnesses to me in the midst of failure, questions about the future, trials, and daily life situations?
Aaron and I have five big prayer requests that we have been constantly bringing before the Lord. It is tempting at times to doubt God’s knowledge of each need and desire as we continue to wait for His answer. A few weeks ago, I was listening to a friend recount all the ways that God had blessed their family in the midst of a hard circumstance. As I listened to her confidence in God’s past faithfulness, I was reminded to “remember”. Remembering what God has done in the past gives me greater faith to believe what He will do in the future. Great is His faithfulness!
A few days ago, this passage came across my path: Psalm 105:3-4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
As I seek God’s face and remember his work on my behalf, I will grow in my trust of His wisdom for my life. He is a good Father who loves me and wants what is best for me. He is always up to something good in my life and I can’t wait to see how He intervenes in our requests for our good and His greatest glory!
-Stephanie Coffey
Idolatry - Reba Snyder
Many times we think of idolatry as bowing down to or worshiping an object. I’ve never really thought of myself as an idol worshipper. Over the last few weeks though, the Lord has shown me I am an idolater and do indeed worship other gods. These idols appear slowly and subtly. I don’t begin my day consciously thinking, “I’m going to worship and pursue something other than God today.” Anything that steals my joy from Jesus is an idol in my life.
Recently, the idol of comfort has robbed my joy. I began confusing desires in my life with needs and let these desires be something I thought about a lot. I began thinking about ways I could make life on the road a little easier. I began to struggle in my heart with asking the Lord for these desires I had. After all, He said to delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. God wants us to ask Him for things, right? This is truth, and God does want to answer our prayers and give good things to us, however, in my life God wanted to reveal my sin of idolatry.
One morning, I was praying for our upcoming meetings that the Lord would fill the people’s hearts with Jesus. As I was praying these words, the Holy Spirit immediately convicted me of the hypocrisy of my own heart being filled with Jesus. I knew I had allowed these desires to have a wrong place in my heart. I knew God wanted me to give up everything to follow Him. If I loved Jesus as I ought, giving Him my life wouldn’t be a difficult task. If I loved Jesus as I ought, I would joyfully give Him everything because of my abundant love for Him. I knew this was not where I was at in my heart. God showed me my wickedness in allowing my desires to steal my joy and affection. He is teaching me each day that nothing is more important than the gospel. I must strive each day to let Christ own my affections.
-Reba Snyder