Who is your God?
Who is your God?
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Pslam 4:8
I told the story of a night a year ago that I spent in a hotel while someone tried to break into my room. Through it God taught me how to pray his Word. Praying the Word of God. There is more to that story I'd like to share with you now regarding his insights to me from Psalm 4:8.
As I stood at the hotel door in panic with someone trying to work a key on the other side, a multitude of thoughts flooded my mind. The overriding one was a sense that I was alone. Yes, of course. No one else from the list of friends was with me. But I mean really alone. The whole reason I was at this place at such an hour was because we had broken apart; my ... was gone and I had to go back to work to support myself.
When a traumatic event occurs we usually want to call someone close to us for emotional support even when that person can't do a thing about it. I had no one to call, but a friend of mine; she was close than close that time. My mind immediately went to my dad. But he was no longer there for me. That was actually a good thing because if I could have called him I would have missed it. The Lord was teaching me more than how to pray the Word of God; he was revealing to me who my god was.
I could feel anger flash through me as I realized I could not call my dad. I asked myself why I felt anger but almost as quickly I knew why. All through dad had been my god. I had given him the place that only properly belongs to the one true God and I had eventually reaped terrible consequences. Any god other than Almighty God will eventually disappoint you; all other gods will crash and burn sooner or later.
As I relayed in the other story, I went to the phone and called the front desk and then opened my Bible while waiting for hotel security to arrive. I read the first thing my eyes fell on which was Psalm 4:8. The words; "You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" stood out like neon. You alone. You alone. Not the hotel security, not a lock on the door, not a father. Nothing and no one except God could make me safe. As that realization sank deeper and deeper into my spirit, I prayed God's Word back to him with more and more confidence.
God was teaching me a valuable lesson, one that I have had to return to at various junctures in my life over the years. A fatal flaw in my heart was exposed by a gracious God. Left undetected that flaw could hold me back from the fullness of life. Jesus said; "I have come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." (John 10:10) I don't want to get to the end of my life and find out that I could have had more. Do you agree? I want all of life that I can possible get and I'm sure you feel the same.
Who is your god?
Is it a spouse or a child? Is it a bank account, a 401K, an inheritance? What makes you feel secure? Where do you go running for safety? Is it your house that you love and where you feel secure? Is it a relationship that you depend on to be your source of happiness and joy? The Lord gives us many blessings in our lifetime and it is good to enjoy and be thankful for all of them but it is he alone who must be our God. He is our true source; every provision comes from him. If you have any other gods in your life right now put them aside, repent before the Lord and start worshiping and serving the only true God.
I can guarantee to you that He alone makes you dwell in safety!
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Pslam 4:8
I told the story of a night a year ago that I spent in a hotel while someone tried to break into my room. Through it God taught me how to pray his Word. Praying the Word of God. There is more to that story I'd like to share with you now regarding his insights to me from Psalm 4:8.
As I stood at the hotel door in panic with someone trying to work a key on the other side, a multitude of thoughts flooded my mind. The overriding one was a sense that I was alone. Yes, of course. No one else from the list of friends was with me. But I mean really alone. The whole reason I was at this place at such an hour was because we had broken apart; my ... was gone and I had to go back to work to support myself.
When a traumatic event occurs we usually want to call someone close to us for emotional support even when that person can't do a thing about it. I had no one to call, but a friend of mine; she was close than close that time. My mind immediately went to my dad. But he was no longer there for me. That was actually a good thing because if I could have called him I would have missed it. The Lord was teaching me more than how to pray the Word of God; he was revealing to me who my god was.
I could feel anger flash through me as I realized I could not call my dad. I asked myself why I felt anger but almost as quickly I knew why. All through dad had been my god. I had given him the place that only properly belongs to the one true God and I had eventually reaped terrible consequences. Any god other than Almighty God will eventually disappoint you; all other gods will crash and burn sooner or later.
As I relayed in the other story, I went to the phone and called the front desk and then opened my Bible while waiting for hotel security to arrive. I read the first thing my eyes fell on which was Psalm 4:8. The words; "You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" stood out like neon. You alone. You alone. Not the hotel security, not a lock on the door, not a father. Nothing and no one except God could make me safe. As that realization sank deeper and deeper into my spirit, I prayed God's Word back to him with more and more confidence.
God was teaching me a valuable lesson, one that I have had to return to at various junctures in my life over the years. A fatal flaw in my heart was exposed by a gracious God. Left undetected that flaw could hold me back from the fullness of life. Jesus said; "I have come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." (John 10:10) I don't want to get to the end of my life and find out that I could have had more. Do you agree? I want all of life that I can possible get and I'm sure you feel the same.
Who is your god?
Is it a spouse or a child? Is it a bank account, a 401K, an inheritance? What makes you feel secure? Where do you go running for safety? Is it your house that you love and where you feel secure? Is it a relationship that you depend on to be your source of happiness and joy? The Lord gives us many blessings in our lifetime and it is good to enjoy and be thankful for all of them but it is he alone who must be our God. He is our true source; every provision comes from him. If you have any other gods in your life right now put them aside, repent before the Lord and start worshiping and serving the only true God.
I can guarantee to you that He alone makes you dwell in safety!
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