““To you, Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness”.”
I love how the word of God presents itself so simple like picking up a free item with the word labeled “free”in front of somebody’s yard.
God is a relational God. Revelation 3:20 says “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me”. God has always shown his love by coming to us. However, we must know Him and His voice in order to recognize He is the one knocking. We must put up spiritual ears to hear Him. We must wear faith to get up and open the door.
He comes in for a fellowship. The only way this can be done right is through our daily engagement and keeping appointments with Him through His word and prayer. This practice helps us in understanding His character and ease our interactions with Him as well as provides a guide to know what to expect each time we get together.
“When I called, You answered me; You greatly emboldened me” (Psalm 138:3). Psalm 50:15 says “and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." Psalm 22:2 also says “My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest”.
Let’s look at these three verses by the psalmist closely. In psalm 138:3: The psalmist called, and God answered and gave him courage. Psalm 50:15 is a promise to call when there is trouble. Psalm 22:2 is the application of Psalm 50:15 and it appears God did not answer when the psalmist called. Wow! Did God shut the door on the psalmist? This can really bring discouragement, hopelessness, and backsliding if care is not taken.
Our topic for today focuses on two words prevention and cure. Prevention is the action of stopping something from happening or arising. Cure on the other hand, is a relief for a person or an animal from the symptoms of a disease or condition. I prefer to stop something from happening than to wait until it’s here then begin to look for a way to treat it. This same principle applies to our relationship with God. If we build a close relationship with God, we will know how to talk to him and what to expect. Our faith becomes stronger and helps us stand our ground in the mist of the fire noted in Joel 1:19-20. The fire had devoured pastures, dried up waters, even the animals were not saved, but they knew their God shall be exploit (Daniel 11:32b). They shall not be shaken because they who know whom they have trusted and to whom they have committed their lives (2 Timothy 1:12).
On the contrary, if we want to call on God only because there is a fire, it may hurt us because we can panic easily due to not really knowing how to call on God. If there is no foundational word and relationship in our spirit, it calls for more trouble and an inability to comprehend the mind of God as well as His will towards us. Make it a priory today to study His word and build a relationship with him.
Questions to think About
Ask yourself if you really know God and have a relationship with him?
Do you have regular times to spend with God?
Are you able to recognize His voice and hear Him when He calls?
Do you call Him only in the day of trouble?
Prayer Points
Grant me the grace to love you and keep your commands (spend time with you in prayer and the word)
Anoint my ears to hear you when you knock at the door of my heart.
Take away any distractions pulling me away from you.
Help me; I need you Lord every day of my life.
Blessings!
Ennette Heaggans