Who Seeks Him?

The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God." (Psalm 14:2)

This verse begs the question . . . and it should be a sobering one for all of us: What does the Lord see when He looks at us -- individually, and not hidden in the crowd of four billion people on the planet.

What does He see when He looks at me?

Do I purposefully seek to understand how He wants me to live my life? Do I yearn to know Him – really know Him, or am I more interested to know what’s on television?

If not, then why not?

What do you want God to see when He looks down from heaven at you?

Lord, I forget about you many times during my day. My life is so busy and occupied with a hundred things -- important things. But Lord, I don't want important things to crowd out what should be of utmost importance and value to me. Help me set aside time during my day to remember you and seek your face. Amen

rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net

No Longer To Grumble

“Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, while all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing; and she led them in the refrain: Sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.” (Exodus 15:20-21).

If you remember the story, God led the Israelites through the Red Sea. When the Egyptians chased after them, God closed the waters and swallowed the Egyptian army. Virtually all of chapter 15 is devoted to Israel’s song of deliverance. I can almost hear the tamborines and shouts of joy as Israel looked across to the opposite shore at their dead enemies.

But the celebration didn’t last long. Verse 22 tells us, “Moses led Israel forward from the Red Sea, and they marched out to the desert of Shur. After traveling for three days through the desert without finding water . . the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"

It gets worse.

A few verses later they grumbled because they didn’t have any meat. But what they then said amazes me each time I read it: "Would that we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!" (chapter 16, verse 3).

Talk about ingratitude. Israel must have held the corner on the market.

Ummm. Well, not really. I do a pretty good job of muscling in on that market myself.

As I make my way toward the Kingdom, I’ve prayed more than a few times that I not be like the Israelites, singing hymns of deliverance during church services, listening to sermons, sensing His presence as I kneel in the pew. . . only to grumble about a hundred annoyances and hardships of life almost as soon as I leave church.

Will you pray for me? Pray that I will live more of a resurrected life, without protesting, without grumbling, without looking back toward Egypt. Pray that I will learn to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, loving the Savior and obeying Him.

Thank you.

Rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net

Manipulating our Cross

Sorry to be so quiet. Lots of issues in my life during the past few months. I will try to be better at getting things posted.
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“In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” (Matthew 27:41-43)

“So, you trust in God? Let Him deliver you.”

Has that thought ever mocked you?

It’s mocked me.

But, sometimes God doesn’t want to deliver us. I don’t know anyone who likes to hear that -- and certainly not live through it. Nevertheless, it’s true. Sometimes God wants us to endure a cross.

What, then, shall we do with our Calvary? The Lord Jesus asked the Father to remove His cup. Yet, He added, “Not My will, but Thine be done.”

And He meant it.

Don’t you think the Lord Jesus could have circumvented the Father’s will, glanced at heaven and twelve legions of angels would have swooped to His deliverance? Of course He could have. He said He could have.

But when I face my crosses I usually try to manipulate them so my load will lighten. Even after I’ve prayed, “Lord, thy will – not mine – be done” I still look for wiggle-room.

Lord, help me stop doing so much wiggling, and let my cross work Your will in my life.

rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net