What Do We Not Understand about "Put God First?" / God's Milder Majesty
Posted by: forthright <forthright@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Going straight to the Cross
----
CONTENTS:
What Do We Not Understand about "Put God First?"
by Michael E Brooks
God's Milder Majesty
by Tim Hall
----
COLUMN: Field Notes
What Do We Not Understand about "Put God First?"
by Michael E Brooks
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be
added to you" (Matt. 6:33).
Many of the sayings of Jesus have become so
familiar and generally accepted to us that we
often fail to grasp their true significance.
"Seeking the kingdom first" means making sure
there is room in our lives for church, a little
prayer and Bible reading and maybe a few other
"God" things, right? Maybe to a few really
dedicated and mature Christians it also includes
considering God's will on a matter before making a
decision. Is that enough? Is that really what
Jesus is saying?
I had studied the Bible with a middle-aged
Guyanese lady and concluded the session by asking
her for a faith commitment to Jesus. Would she
obey the Gospel? She looked at me earnestly and
said, "I will become a Christian, but not now."
When I asked why she would put off something so
important, that she knew was right, and wanted to
do, she gave me this story.
"My aged mother lives in this house with me, and I
take care of her. The house belongs to my brother
who is of another religion. He pays all our bills,
and provides us with food, clothing, and other
necessities. If I change religions he will throw
us out of the house and cut off all support. I
just cannot do that to my mother."
Suddenly I looked at Matthew 6:33 in a whole new
light. "Dont worry about food! Dont worry about
clothing! Put Me first, and I will take care of
you!" That promise is not given just to Christians
who are well off. It is not merely about making
time in our schedules for "church" once or twice a
week, at the cost of losing a little work or
recreation time. It is God's promise to those who
may lose everything for His sake.
Trust in Him! He will provide! What faith that
requires! Yet so many in the world must make that
kind of decision. They face the threat of lost
jobs, families forsaking them, even imprisonment
or death, if they accept Christ. Yet they have no
real choice, for if they save their lives, Jesus
says, they will lose them, eternally (Matt.
16:25). Salvation comes through no other name
(Acts 4:12). He is "the way, the truth and the
life." No man comes to the Father except through
Him (John 14:6).
Is God wise and powerful and rich enough to
provide for our needs? Of course He is. He is the
Almighty -- Omnipotent, Omniscient, Sovereign of
all (Psa. 121). Does He care enough for us to give
us what we need? Absolutely! "God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son ..." (John
3:16).
Peter says, "Therefore humble yourselves under the
mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares
for you" (1 Pet 5:6-7).
The issue is not God's power or compassion. It is
our ability to trust Him, and our desire to please
Him. Will we really put Him first? Will we really
seek the things of His kingdom even when that
threatens our possessions or physical well-being?
Jesus assures us that we may do so, with
confidence. But He also demands that we must do
it, or risk the loss of everything.
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the
whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will
a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt.
16:26).
----
You can help us get the word out. Here's how:
forthright.antville.org/stories/340415/
----
COLUMN: Heavenly Connections
God's Milder Majesty
by Tim Hall
For several years I have been impressed with some
of the poetry of William Cullen Bryant. The
America Bryant inhabited from 1794 to 1878 was
very different from the one we know. But just
beyond the city limits of our day lies a world
that is just the same for us as it was for him --
if we take the time to visit it.
That Bryant often visited the forest seems evident
from his poem, "A Forest Hymn." In this piece, he
extols the virtues of taking time to meditate in
the midst of God's great creation (something the
Bible also encourages us to do). How we deprive
ourselves by being confined within our air-
conditioned walls! Our understanding of God is
poorer because of our urban habits.
Toward the end of "A Forest Hymn", Bryant reflects
on powerful demonstrations of nature: lightning,
thunder, strong winds, etc. Such displays, he
wrote, force anyone to take note of the
overwhelming power of God. But Bryant prayed for
wisdom to look more deeply at God's creation.
Consider these closing words from the poem:
Oh, from these sterner aspects of thy face
Spare me and mine, nor let us need the wrath
Of the mad unchained elements to teach
Who rules them. Be it ours to meditate,
In these calm shades, thy milder majesty,
And to the beautiful order of thy works
Learn to conform the order of our lives.
Anyone will be temporarily humbled by tornadoes,
floods and hurricanes -- how can we not be? But it
takes a reflective person to step outside during
more ordinary seasons, contemplating lessons that
can be learned about God everyday. Wasn't this
Jesus' point in Matthew 6:26,28, when He urged us
to "Look at the birds of the air" and to "Consider
the lilies of the field" (New King James Version)?
Taking time to think about the "milder majesty" of
God can teach us much!
God is truly so good! He "daily loads us with
benefits, the God of our salvation!" (Psalm 68:19)
May it not take a wild natural catastrophe to get
our minds off what's playing on television to
think about the Almighty Creator. He can, and
will, get our attention some day! But for now He
urges us to think on His milder majesty.
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed
is the man who trusts in Him!" (Psalm 34:8)