Seek the LORD and his strength,seek his face continually.
-1 Chronicles 16:9-11

God wants so much more than we tend to give Him. Reading His Word, praying a few times through the day – these are all good things, but God wants more.  He wants us to seek Him more and more, so that our time in His presence is continual -- all the time.  What does God want? Let’s personalize it…

§         God wants me to be always in tune with His heart, always listening.

§         God wants me to be always at the feet of Jesus, no matter where I am or what I am doing.

§         God wants me to be always in conversation with Him --always with an open door for His Spirit to speak His Words of life, blessing and instruction to my heart.

§         God wants me to be always listening to His voice -- always ready to obey.  

§         God wants me to be always abiding under His wings. 

§         God wants me to be always in the Spirit. -- always looking upon the face of my Savior. 

§         God wants us to be always standing in the light of His glory -- always resting on His strength.

§         God wants me to be always in harmony with Him -- always delighting in Him, just as He delights in me.

      This is what Jesus said we should do. He said, "Abide in Me." All of the above is just that -- abiding in Him. This is what Paul meant when he said...

“That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being…” Acts 17:27-28

And in Colossians 3:3-4, “...your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Do you see it? Jesus is not just the One who gave us life; He is not just the gracious Savior who gave us eternal life.... He is so much more.... He IS our life!!! He wants us to involve Him intimately in every detail of every moment of every day of our lives. Abide... stay... dwell... live... in His presence... continually.

When we spend time with Jesus for a while in the morning, and talk with Him a few times during the day, then again at night before going to bed, what have we done? Have we lived (abided, dwelled) in His presence? No. We have only VISITED Him. He wants all of us all the time, to dwell with Him and in Him.

Oh Jesus, help us to dwell... abide... stay... in Your presence... to live in You and through You all the time.

  While looking for something else this afternoon, I came across a passage in Deuteronomy that kind of jumped off the page at me.
Shortly before his death, Moses bestowed a blessing upon each of the tribes of Israel.

"And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. " (Deut. 33:12)

There are no other passages with references to shoulders quite like this one (I searched the concordance). So I pondered a bit...

The chest is, of course, between the shoulders. I wonder if that's what this passage is referring to when it says, "and he shall dwell between his shoulders."

In Isaiah 40:11, we are told, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

John 13:23 says, "Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved."

The blessing in Deuteronomy 33 was directed to the Tribe of Benjamin, "the beloved of the LORD." John was called the beloved disciple, but WE are also "the beloved of the LORD." WE are "the elect of God, holy and beloved" (Col. 3:12).

The Lord says He will "gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom." WE are His lambs - His sheep. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14)

We can lean on His bosom, be carried in His bosom and dwell between His shoulders. This is our security zone, our haven of peace, our place of rest and an expression of His love. What a wonderfully blessed place to be! We simply have to choose to draw near. He is waiting for us with His arms open wide to fold us into His bosom, to carry us and to keep us there, close to Him.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us! (1 John 3:1)that we should be privileged to dwell "between His shoulders!"

ABOUT YOU…         

YOU are a unique, beloved child of God.
YOUR LIFE and  your experiences are unique to you.
YOUR STORY may be exactly what another person needs to hear.
YOUR TESTIMONY of God’s grace may bring another person closer to Him.

YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE who can share it.

Please consider how GOD might want YOU to bless others by sharing what HE has done for YOU. Contact us.

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  (Eph 4:7&16)

  It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. -Psalm 92:1-5

 

What are you praising the Lord for this morning?  If we sat down and tried to list all the great things He has done and all the great aspects of His character, we could write for a lifetime and never list them all. He has indeed done great things. Praise Him!

He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.- Deuteronomy 10:21, The Message

Think about the great and awesome wonders God has performed in your life. He sent His only Son to die in your place, He saved you and has reserved a place for you in heaven. He is with you each and every day, providing every need of your heart and life.

Now think about who He is for a moment. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, He is the Creator of all that is, He is holy, He is mighty, He is love, He is just, He is good, He is righteous, He is merciful, and He is so much more.

God is worthy of all our praise, not just for the wonderful things He has don, but for who He is. Praise Him!

I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. - Psalm 9:1