Perspective

What is it all about? What does Yahweh want from us? What is the point? What are we supposed to do?

The Lord had lead me in the last six months or so in a journey through motivation and identity. Simply, I have wrapped up my identity in the things that I do and accomplish compared to what the Lord says about me; how He identifies me. The Lord has used these and a few other key verses to speak Truth in my life.

Micah 6:8 - He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Matthew 22:37-40- Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Isaiah 58- Long chapter so look it up. It reveals God’s heart towards what he really wants of us in a fast: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house, when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

The desires and commandments of God are really pretty simple, yet I try to make them complicated and difficult. I am not saying that following the Lord is easy, far from it; I am saying that following the Lord is simple. Golfers have a saying, that golf is a simple game, get the ball from the tee box to the hole in as few strokes as possible, but it is hard to do. I need to be reminded that God gives me value, and I need to not believe the lie that the world keeps speaking that I am valuable when I get some stuff, make a certain amount of money, or accomplish an unreachable amount of tasks. “Do the best you can trust God for the rest” is something that comes to mind. Perspective is crucial.

To finish, God wants us to love Him fully, love our brothers the best we can, desire to see His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. He does not desire for any to perish but wants everyone to come to repentance. Our God is kind and good, as well as righteous and judgmental. He will only tolerate evil for so long, which I am glad. Yet I am also glad and grateful that He gives mercy now, which I benefit from fully. So praise be to God, for in Him I will trust.

Jude 1:24-25- To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Michael Houck