Scripture:
Psalm 123:1
[ A song of ascents. ] I lift up my eyes to You, to You whose throne is in heaven.
Isaiah 40:26
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But My salvation will last forever, My righteousness will never fail.
At Briarlake Baptist Church, Pastor Tommy Ferrell is currently in a series entitled “Living Without Regrets.” This past Sunday, the topic was “Making the most of your talents.” There are “connection groups” which meet weekly to corporately discuss the sermon topic in more depth.
God used all of that to show me, remind me of something today – about Himself and about me. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God told the prophet Samuel (in part) that:
… the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (AMP)
The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (NLT)
Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart." (HCSB)
The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (NIV)
In Sunday’s sermon, one of the points of developing your talent was to “Do what you do well.” I was thinking about the times that I have judged what someone has done as being done well or not. Once, in a meeting, a woman came in to sing during a worship time at the beginning of the meeting. I did not think that she sang well at all, and was wondering why she was brought in for that, when the anointing of God hit me, and I was (as usual) reduced to tears. I realize now that her purpose and talent (and how “well” she accomplished / utilized them) were not what I had thought / seen / looked at / judged – which was only the singing. Her real purpose and talent was to usher in the Presence of God. (Yeah, I know – this also speaks to my views on and understanding of worship (John 4), but that is also evolving…another topic for another day.)
God’s Word tells us in Isaiah 55:9 that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts.
Lord, truly Your goodness has brought me to repentance this day, and I am so grateful for Your correction in my life. Thank You for reminding me of how great You are, of how much You are, and for magnifying Yourself in my eyes, my heart, my life as You turn my heart, allowing me to focus for even this moment on You, Your majesty, Your greatness, Your faithfulness, Your love, Your mercy, Your grace. I am so humbled by Your Presence. Thank You for loving me so I could love You back…Help me to see as You see.
1 Corinthians 2:16
For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (NKJV)
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)
1 Peter 4:1-2
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. (NKJV)
Philippians 2:5-11
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NKJV)
... and my journey with Him continues ...
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