Living the life God intended

Hi how are you all today? I am well and recovering from my surgery. I return to work tomorrow and will be working from home all week which is good. It will give me a chance to catch up. Have you ever been behind? What strategies do you use to catch up?

I have been reading the book of 1 and 2 Chronicles for Lent which has been interesting. One thing I learnt was that these books were written after the Babylonian exile to encourage the Israelites that God was still involved and that He is interested in the generations.

I love this about God. He is not only a present God with us but is there for generations to come. That means that I need to have a generational perspective and do what God has called me to do in order to leave a legacy.

This week I want to look at the verses in 1 Chronicles 29: 14 to 19 in the Message Bible which reads:

But me—who am I, and who are these my people, that we should presume to be giving something to you? Everything comes from you; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from your generous hand. As far as you’re concerned, we’re homeless, shiftless wanderers like our ancestors, our lives mere shadows, hardly anything to us. God, our God, all these materials—these piles of stuff for building a house of worship for you, honoring your Holy Name—it all came from you! It was all yours in the first place! I know, dear God, that you care nothing for the surface—you want us, our true selves—and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily. And now see all these people doing the same, giving freely, willingly—what a joy! O God, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this generous spirit alive forever in these people always, keep their hearts set firmly in you. And give my son Solomon an uncluttered and focused heart so that he can obey what you command, live by your directions and counsel, and carry through with building The Temple for which I have provided.”

This is King David praying to God when he handed over the throne to Solomon. I really like what this says. Basically God we are building you this temple but it was Yours to begin with as everything on earth starts out as Yours anyway. God is the giver of all things and He gives them to us to use for His glory and His purpose.

Let’s get this concept deep in our hearts. God gave us our skills and abilities to do the job we are in for His purpose and His glory. God gave us the house we live in for His purpose and His glory. God gave us our car for His purpose and His glory. None of what we see around us belongs to us exclusively – it was given/ leant to us from God. Someone else may one day do my job, live in my house or drive my car.

If we change our perspective our life will change.

Then half way through those verses we see what God really wants and that’s us. God created everything for us. God wants to lavishly pour out His blessings on us. But what does God want? A relationship with us. God desired a family and that’s the reason man was created.

Let’s wrap our thoughts around this statement.

The giver of all things desires you. Nothing in all creation is worth more to God than you. Look around you. Can you and I say the same thing back?

God, there is nothing we want more than a relationship with You. Worldly things don’t come close, my job doesn’t come close and nor do my possessions. God loves us amazingly and He wants to show us that love- not in blessings only but in presence. God longs to hug us with His presence. Will we let the giver of all things do that?

This is our challenge this week as we sit with God and let Him show us how much He loves us. Keeping a right relationship with God is how we keep living the life God intended for us.

Bless you

Karen