Psalm 105:4 - Seek God And His Strength Continually!
Psalm 105:4 - Seek God And His Strength Continually!
Psalm 105:4 (ESV) Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his
presence continually!
The psalmist calls us to search for the Lord and his strength
and to keep on searching. To search means to look carefully and
thoroughly in an effort to find something important. The original Hebrew
text has the idea of seeking with our whole hearts continually,
regularly, daily, and then depending on his strength for all the challenges
we face in living as his followers instead of in our own strength.
In response to our searching, the Lord loves to reveal
himself to us and then manifest his strength in our lives. He has not
hidden his character from his people; over and over throughout the
Bible, through his Son, Jesus, and through his Spirit and creation, he
has revealed his heart, his glory, and his nature that we might know
him. Those who seek God and give their time to searching for him and
knowing him will find all their needs met in him.
LORD, Thank you for the many promises in your Word that you
will come and strengthen me and reveal yourself so that I can know
you more intimately. Cause me to seek you with all my heart, to
search for you daily and throughout my life, and to depend on your
strength for each day. [Praying Through The Bible By Fuller re Psa.
105:1-4 mod.]
Henry Nouwen pondered this paradox of the spiritual life:
it's at once a wonderful gift God gives us, yet we must work hard at
it. The Holy Spirit lifts us, says Nouwen, "into the kingdom of
God's love, yet forces keep pulling us back into a worry-filled life."
Because of this struggle, we are called to the discipline of
constantly listening for the quiet voice of the Spirit, and then to the
commitment to obey that voice.
Noise of all sorts in our crowded lives can make us deaf to
God's voice. The danger is if we don't detect the nudges and whispers
of the Holy Spirit, our lives may become what Nouwen calls
"absurd," based on the Latin word for "deaf," surdus.
Absurd is a relevant word for modern times. Countless plays,
books, and movies depict our lives as Shakespeare described them: "full
of sound and fury, signifying nothing" - in a word, absurd.
Jesus, in stark contrast, lived a life of extreme
significance. Far from living as if he were deaf, Jesus maintained constant
communion with his Father. He was always listening and always obedient. He
was fully in harmony with his Father's will.
If we are not in harmony with God, what is the meaning of all
our efforts? What does it matter if our plans thrive or fail? Only
as we listen for the voice of the Spirit do we sense that
everything matters and that we are part of something far beyond what can be
measured by the world's standards.
"Jesus was 'all ear,''' writes Henri Nouwen."That is true
prayer: being all ear for God."
Father in heaven, to be honest, I often do seem deaf. Yet, I
want to hear your voice. Right now I invite you to whisper or shout
or do whatever it takes to get me to hear you. And help me, I pray,
to respond and obey. [The One Year Book of Encouragement by Harold
Myra]
Concentrate on doing your everyday tasks in awareness of My
Presence with you. The Joy of My Presence will shine on you, as you do
everything for Me. Thus you invite Me into every aspect of your life.
Through collaborating with Me in all things, you allow My Life to merge
with yours. This is the secret not only of joyful living but also of
victorious living. I designed you to depend on Me moment by moment,
recognizing that apart from Me you can do nothing. (Col. 3:23; John 15:5;
Psalm 105:4) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Look to Me continually for help, comfort, and companionship.
Because I am always by your side, the briefest glance can connect you
with Me. When you look to Me for help, it flows freely from My
Presence. This recognition of your need for Me, in small mailers as well
as in large ones, keeps you spiritually alive.
When you need comfort, I love to enfold you in My arms. I
enable you not only to feel comforted but also to be a channel through
whom I comfort others. Thus you are doubly blessed, because a living
channel absorbs some of whatever flows through it.
My constant Companionship is the piece de resistance: the
summit of salvation blessings. No matter what losses you experience in
your life, no one can take away this glorious gift. (Psa. 34:4-6;
105:4; 2Co. 1:3, 4) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Set priorities in your life according to My will. You will
not be able to do all the things you want to do - or all the things
other people would like you to do. Setting priorities helps you make
good decisions about what gets done and what does not.
Your time and energy are limited, so you may be able to
accomplish only a small percentage of what you would like to do or feel
that you "should" do. Therefore, seek My Face and My will as you look
at the possibilities before you. Let biblical principles and
promises guide you in determining what is most important.
Being intentional in this way will help you make the best use
of your time and energy. It will also protect you from feeling
anxious or guilty about all the things you are not doing. In order to do
something well, you need to feel at peace about the many other things you
could be doing - but are not. When you have set your priorities
according to My will, you can relax and focus on accomplishing what I deem
important. As you seek to please Me above all else, you will grow more and
more into the workmanship - the masterpiece - I created you to be.
(Psa. 105:4; 119:103-105; Eph. 2:10) [Jesus Today by Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2013/20131214-1538.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20111114-2222.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140224-0752.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Video Clip: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prophecies Decoded Sermon Series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
