Serving a Jealous God

A few days after I posted the blog and tribute to my late father, The Lord reminded me during service the following Sunday that He is a jealous God and asked me to post a blog in praise of Him Who created my earthly father.

What an honour that would be, I thought. I know exactly what to write.

But I did not immediately obey. I went on rather to post two other blogs on this site. None was a specific ode to God.

Even this morning at quiet time I remembered that I had this one deficit to honour, and yet I was also remembering the other entries that lie in wait in my PC to be posted on this blog. Self importance.

And I thought how pressing it was for me to post some of those entries, even before the blog in praise of Him Who is The Creator of the Universe. Self idolization.

The Gracious God
That we to and fro, day in day out, but sometimes only momentarily pausing to honour Him Who gave us the strength, health and wealth to rise up that very morning.

To Him Who gave us the strength, health and wealth to wake up each morning surrounded by those we love, whether near or far, and tread to work.

To Him Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing to find meaning and satisfaction in our work, as many of us do.

To Him Who enables us to find validation and contentment in many of the relationships we encounter and manage day in day out.

And I wondered, horrifically, at how self idolization had led me to procrastinate writing an honorific to The One Who blessed me with the gift to write in the first place.

The Merciful God
So, to Him Who is able to keep me from falling, asking for forgiveness, I write my ode to Him Who is my Saviour, my Redeemer, The Head of my life: Christ, my Shepherd

Jesus is my Shepherd – therefore I have everything that I’ll ever need.
He causes me to rest in the fullness of His daily blessings;
And leads me unto ordered, purposed, peaceful paths.
When He orchestrated my salvation, He reinstated my soul unto Himself: the stamp to give me life and life more abundantly.
And He guides me in the way of His Truth – for the purpose of His name – that His purpose would be established in my life, and yes, for His glory, that all might know that He is ‘The I am that I am’.

Even though I may go through many challenges and tribulations, even as dark as the shadow of demise;
I will not give in to fear, because Christ is with me.
His Word and His Spirit comfort me.

He orchestrates favour for me - favour only and favour always; even in the presence of my enemies, even when I stare eyeball to eyeball with seeming failure.
His only desire? My consecration unto Himself, for His glory and purposes;
That my unique mark of distinction in Him overflows.

Without doubt the goodness of Christ, and His mercy will follow me
ALL the days of my life.
I will remain in the presence of the Lord forever more. Amen