God
uses our health, wealth, education, family background, and our natural talents
and abilities for His service. In fact, He provided us with these resources for
His glory.
What
we encounter with the five senses of our body and the thoughts and emotions of
our soul is limited at best. These are finite interpretations of what we
experience, and do not include the spiritual aspect of what is occurring.
So
often, we allow the anchor of the world that we can see to hinder our walk with
the Lord. Yet, our Father calls us to walk by faith and not by sight (2
Corinthians 5:7). He wants us to look beyond the natural and to dwell in
the spiritual world (Galatians 2:20).
We
get a glimpse of this when we read about the angel finally arriving with
Daniel's answered prayer. The angel mentioned that God answered the prayer when
Daniel prayed it, but demonic opposition demanded spiritual battle in high
places (Daniel 10:1-21; Ephesians 1:20-22).
Christ
in us keeps us balanced during every trial we experience. He will even move
mountains for us, if they happen to be in the way of God's plans for us (Mark
11:22-24). God's Spirit always puts us in the right place at the right
time if we submit to His guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Jesus
suffered, died and rose again to give us the victory over this finite world and
to make us holy and acceptable to God as His adopted children (Romans
12:1-3; Ephesians 1:5). He continues to pour out His life in us to make us
effective in the work for which He called us.
Jesus
redeems us, calls us by name and gives us His joy as our strength (Titus
2:14; John 10:3; Nehemiah 8:10). His light in us is not intended to be
hidden under a basket, but to be set up on hill (Matthew 5:15-16).
He
intends for His Light and Living Water to flow freely from our spirit in order
to draw to Him everyone in our community who is willing to humble themselves
before His loving grace and mercy (John 12:32).
Prayer:
Father
God, remind us not to take the glory for what You do in our life. Without You,
we are nothing, and we cannot accomplish anything for You with our human
resources. Help us to set our mind on things above, not on the things of this
earth (Colossians 3:2-10). We give You all of the glory for all that
you do in and through us.
Teach
us what it means to be dead to our self and to be seated with Christ at Your
right hand (Ephesians 2:6); to live in the flesh, yes, but to dwell
in the Spirit through Jesus who lives in and through us (Galatians 2:20). Help
us to see life through Your eyes and to dwell on the infinite, rather than the
finite.
Thought
for the Day:
God
chose us as a vessel for His glory and honor, and He designed a perfect plan
for our life before we were ever born; now we live at the pleasure of our King
Jesus. - Ephesians 2:10
