Keep God At The Center Of Your Thoughts

Serving – November 2010 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Keep God At The Center Of Your Thoughts

In times of great change, when choices have to be made, it is very easy to lose focus. Pressure is brought to bear on us by everything, from the country’s media to our own friends and family.

Questions like these arise: “Where should we live?” “Should we vote or not?” “Must we accept being marginalized?” “Is it right to fight for our rights, including taking up arms?” “Can we choose against our parents’ wishes?” “How can we make ends meet?”

It is good for Christians to think carefully about God and to remember that they are called to live Christ-honoring lives. This remains true regardless of what else is going on around us.

I guess all of us have sat on a wobbly chair or at a rocking table. Either the legs or the flooring are not level. The experience is not as stable as it should be. Let me suggest four truths that will help keep our hearts, and therefore our lives, on secure footing regardless of circumstances. These truths will bring stability for us, even in the most pressing times.

GOD DOES NOT CHANGE
What God was in the beginning of time – and even for eternity before that – He always will be. His character does not change; it remains the same. His ability to do anything in line with His will cannot be questioned. And God’s purpose remains true even when our circumstances may try to tell us otherwise. Remember everything that God has revealed Himself to be. We may sometimes be let down by our friends. God will never let us down. And if we think He has, we must think again (Isa. 40:25; 46:9-10).

GOD DOES NOT FAVOR A PARTICULAR GROUP
God is without partiality and favoritism. He is always standing with the righteous. He wants truth in our inward and outward beings. His summarized commandments still apply. We are to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbors – even our traditional enemies – as much as we love ourselves.

Joshua had to learn that God was not there to fight Joshua’s battles for him. It was the other way around. Joshua had to learn that the real battle was God’s fight! As David Oginde writes in the Africa Bible Commentary (Word Alive Pub., Nairobi, ’06, p. 270): “God is not a mercenary who is summoned to fight battles on behalf of others. God is the eternal Commander-in-Chief in all battles against the forces of evil” (Josh. 5:13-15; Rom. 8:28-31).

GOD IS ABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY
If we believe that God is able and trustworthy, the challenge to us is to let Him work in His own way and in His own time. God will either bring changes to our situations which we may desire, or He may give us a change of heart and mind so that we begin to want something different from what we wanted before.

As Christians we must understand spiritual warfare, including using prayer as our greatest secret weapon for change (Eph. 6:18). Prayer in this way will often make changes in both ourselves and our circumstances.

As we just read above, Joshua learned that having God as his Commander meant that God took complete charge – even over any human leader.

Jacob discovered this as he wrestled with God before he “struggled with God and with men” and overcame (Gen. 32:22- 32).

Moses let God change his mind about what he should do (Ex. 3:1- 4:17).

It was only when Isaiah really saw God on the throne that his own life and calling were revolutionized (Isa. 6:1-11).

Job’s suffering led him to know God and himself differently, especially deeply in their relationship to each other (Job 42:1-6).

Jeremiah was promised a tough time, but there would be ultimate victory in God’s own good time if he remained faithful to God through everything (Jer. 1:1-19).

Daniel saw the Ancient of Days in all His splendor and Jesus, the Son of Man, given all authority to rule the earth (Dan. 7:8-14).

Think about these Old Testament examples in light of these verses: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21). Then think about your particular challenge or struggle. And after you have done so, worship your great God!

GOD HAS AN ETERNAL PURPOSE
Always remember that God is in heaven! While this may seem obvious, too many Christians are much too tied up in this world’s affairs to realize it. We look in the wrong places for God’s answers to our prayers!

The One who is called “Faithful and True” and “The Word of God” in Revelation 19:11-16 is the same One who was met by the godly leaders mentioned above.

When John saw Him, he “fell at His feet as though dead” before being commissioned to his Godgiven task (Rev. 1:17-18).

Our Lord Jesus Christ, as a man on this earth, always knew and always did exactly what His Father in heaven wanted (Jn. 6:35- 40). What else should we do but copy Jesus, and do likewise? And our prayer should be:

“Now that we know a little more about Who You are, Lord God, may Your kingdom come; and may Your will be done in my world today, just as it is in heaven. Here I am. Use me as You will.”

By Colin Salter