We ask God to bless us all the time in our prayers.  We want his favor because we want to be His “favorites”, giving us all we want in our lives.  We become doubtful of God when He doesn’t deliver the goods of our fickle desires.  That is the thinking of our tiny human minds that think only of ourselves.  We get ourselves into messes emotionally, mentally, financially and physically because we trust only in ourselves, other people, working hard to obtain the idols of our day.  Wait, what?!  Idols? 

Truly our bank accounts tell the story of what we worship, work hard to get, store, polish and clean.  Our walk reflects our talk.  Our habitual behavior reflects our true belief, especially when backed into corners of frustration of not getting our own way.  What drives us to think and behave the way we do?

The Psalmist is very clear to the people of his day.  “Not for our sake, but for God…”  The idols of our day cannot walk or talk with all the human senses we have but yet we are so proud of them that we talk mostly about the glory of having them.  What if all that attention given to our idols was given solely to God for his glory to be seen by all?  What if our prays for “blessings” were prayers for growing in His character?  To be blessed is to be continually trusting and growing in the ways of the Lord as if our lives depended on it.  Wait, our eternal lives DO depend on his love, mercy and grace!  Think about it.  Take all the time you need. 

“You shall have no other gods before me.” –God  (Exodus 20:3)

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 115, The Message

^1-2 Not for our sake, God, no, not for our sake,
    but for your name’s sake, show your glory.
Do it on account of your merciful love,
    do it on account of your faithful ways.
Do it so none of the nations can say,
    “Where now, oh where is their God?”

^3-8 Our God is in heaven
    doing whatever he wants to do.
Their gods are metal and wood,
    handmade in a basement shop:
Carved mouths that can’t talk,
    painted eyes that can’t see,
Tin ears that can’t hear,
    molded noses that can’t smell,
Hands that can’t grasp, feet that can’t walk or run,
    throats that never utter a sound.
Those who make them have become just like them,
    have become just like the gods they trust.

^9-11 But you, Israel: put your trust in God!
    —trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!
Clan of Aaron, trust in God!
    —trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!
You who fear God, trust in God!
    —trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!

^12-16 O God, remember us and bless us,
    bless the families of Israel and Aaron.
And let God bless all who fear God—
    bless the small, bless the great.
Oh, let God enlarge your families—
    giving growth to you, growth to your children.
May you be blessed by God,
    by God, who made heaven and earth.
The heaven of heavens is for God,
    but he put us in charge of the earth.

^17-18 Dead people can’t praise God—
    not a word to be heard from those buried in the ground.
But we bless God, oh yes—
    we bless him now, we bless him always!
Hallelujah!

TRUTH:  Bless God!  “You who fear God, trust in God!
    —trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!”

Proverb 3:5-6, NIV

WISDOM:  Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Abba Father,

How much I think about You and honor You with my life is a question of reflection for today.  I am convinced I need to “clean house” of all that offends you, all that distracts me from you and all that stunts my growth of your maturing character in me.  Show me your ways and I will walk in them is my prayer for today and always.  When I am distracted, snap your fingers so I will turn back to you quickly.  I’m yours, Lord.  All that I am, warts and all, messes and mess ups, I’m yours.  Mold and shape me as a blessing of all that is right and good back to you then to others for your glory.  Not to us, but for You…

In Jesus Name, Amen