In the morning....

Reading over a passage in Psalms last night, I recognized that God's promises and faithfulness is often illustrated in scripture using days and particularly mornings.  What I mean by this is God renews and motivates our faith daily with each new morning.  It isn't yearly, monthly, or weekly...it's daily.  And for many people that walk closely with Christ, it's constant.  This all-powerful God of the universe is restoring, renewing and redeeming....every minute of every day.  It's a mind-blowing thought for me.  Why, of all things and people, does this God love me so?  I fail him, I betray him.  I don't trust him fully and yet, he's there.  For the Israelites  it wasn't by works, it wasn't by faith.  It wasn't because of a trust or love that they had for God.  HE chose them.  HE chooses US.

Quite an encouragement, this daily affirmation of his love and provision breaks down anxiety and worry.  It motivates us to focus on the daily task of loving him and living for him.  HE is enough each and every day.  When thinking too far ahead starts to consume us, he says look no further.  Worry no longer.  Wake up each day and remember his promise.  Remember that he is working all things for good for those that love him.  HE is too good to us, I think it's part of my doubt creeps in.  He has all of the answers.  He has my best interest at heart and he is in control.  He lacks nothing.  

Paul tells us that he counted everything else as loss.  Nothing came close to the importance and significance of his relationship with Christ.  His whole life was given to God.  His whole purpose was to spread the gospel and he still noted that he was not special.  A life that we admire, a life that we teach...a life that is an example to millions of christians.  Paul tells us he is equal to the worst of sinners, All comparisons to God's holiness and purity are unworthy. 

He also tells us to rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance & endurance produces character and character produces hope.  And in that hope, there is no room for shame.  It's the key to satisfying uneasiness.  The same uneasiness that I try to relieve with worldly ways.  I look to accomplish enough good to cancel out the evil that I see and the sin that I commit.  I try to make things positive.  But there is no replacing the hope in Jesus.  There is nothing outside of his promise that will quiet our heart's desire.  When I give in to that thought, a wave of peace rolls into the depths of my existence.  

Phillipians 4:4-8

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.