1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
2) Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
3) Devotional
I was just reading an emailed devotional this morning from the writings of A.W. Tozer, one of the best known Christian & Missionary Alliance Pastors, and writers, of the 20th century. From over 50 years ago, Tozer’s words challenged my faith to grow up and mature, no matter how “mature” I may think I already am... faith must constantly be trained on God, not my experience of what He’s done for me lately…
I was just reading an emailed devotional this morning from the writings of A.W. Tozer, one of the best known Christian & Missionary Alliance Pastors, and writers, of the 20th century. From over 50 years ago, Tozer’s words challenged my faith to grow up and mature, no matter how “mature” I may think I already am... faith must constantly be trained on God, not my experience of what He’s done for me lately…
“We must be concerned with the person and character of God, not the promises. Through promises we learn what God has willed to us, we learn what we may claim as our heritage, we learn how we should pray. But faith itself must rest on the character of God.”
I’m concerned that what we call faith today is most commonly a conditional response to a good situation, or, a fallback position when all our other options have failed in a bad one.
“Why do we not tell them that they must get beyond the point of making God a lifeboat for their rescue or a ladder to get them out of a burning building? How can we help our people get over the idea that God exists just to help run their businesses or fly their airplanes?
God is not a railway porter who carries your suitcase and serves you. God is God. He made heaven and earth. He holds the world in His hand. He measures the dust of the earth in the balance. He spreads the sky out like a mantle. He is the great God Almighty. He is not your servant. He is your Father, and you are His child. He sits in heaven, and you are on the earth.”
-A.W. Tozer, Faith Beyond Reason, 44.
May you, and I, learn the blessing of practicing unconditional faith.
4) Questions to Consider
How have I loved God conditionally based on what I think He has done for me?
How have I loved God conditionally based on what I think He has done for me?
5) Prayer
Father God, forgive me for loving You conditionally, when you've loved me without condition in spite of all my failings. Thank you for your unconditional love of grace in Jesus Christ. Amen
Father God, forgive me for loving You conditionally, when you've loved me without condition in spite of all my failings. Thank you for your unconditional love of grace in Jesus Christ. Amen
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
