Most of us are list makers, even if we don’t write our list on paper or in “notes” on our phone, we make mental lists. Type A people, like me, not only write items on our list; we desire to aggressively achieve the list so we can cross the items off as they are complete. Crossing off tasks from our agenda gives us pure joy and makes us happy—until we remember what we forgot to put on the list! Right? Come on, who are my list-making people out there? This trait is good and it can be bad.
As we read, study and pray the songs of the Psalm composers; we begin to realize the lists the songwriters are making to God! Almost every psalm sung begins with a list for God to do! Many psalms at least begin with a list of what God has done as if to coddle God into complete their latter lists of requests that are soon to follow! Take note, learn and thank God for being patient with his children BEFORE we give Him our lists of “to dos”! Yikes, we need more training! Hang in there, it’s coming!
However, this psalm has a different ending. Instead of the lists of yes and amens to God, the Psalmist commands the Singers to “Do for God what you said you do.” (Ouch) The Psalmist is calling God’s people to task! “He is after all your God!”
Psalm 76, The Message
1-3 God is well-known in Judah;
in Israel, he’s a household name.
He keeps a house in Salem,
his own suite of rooms in Zion.
That’s where, using arrows for kindling,
he made a bonfire of weapons of war.
4-6 Oh, how bright you shine!
Outshining their huge piles of loot!
The warriors were plundered
and left there impotent.
And now there’s nothing to them,
nothing to show for their swagger and threats.
Your sudden roar, God of Jacob,
knocked the wind out of horse and rider.
7-10 Fierce you are, and fearsome!
Who can stand up to your rising anger?
From heaven you thunder judgment;
earth falls to her knees and holds her breath.
God stands tall and makes things right,
he saves all the wretched on earth.
Instead of smoldering rage—God-praise!
All that sputtering rage—now a garland for God!
11-12 Do for God what you said you’d do—
he is, after all, your God.
Let everyone in town bring offerings
to the One Who Watches our every move.
Nobody gets by with anything,
no one plays fast and loose with him.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
I confess. I wake to greet God; but nanoseconds later my mind begins to form my “list” for the day ahead. I have to work hard to focus on God first and allow Him to form my agenda for each day. But this discipline has gotten so much easier with time because my relationship with God has grown and is growing more intimate each day!
Time with God first has become an exercise I look forward to each morning. I almost run to meet our Lord Jesus! Hence, I have reduced my breakfast routine to grabbing coffee and a cup of Cheerios to sustain me as I talk with God. It begins, as Jesus taught us to prayer, with a more holy “list” in this order;
- Hallowed is Your Name, indeed. Holy and great are you, Lord God of all!
- Your Kingdom come; Your Will be done in all the details as this delights You!
- You give us another day to walk humbly with you with mouths to declare Your glory because of our love and obedience as we seek justice and love mercy like you do.
- You forgive as we forgive others in ways we would not have done before knowing You.
- You leads and warns us of temptations of evil meant to distract, deceive, and deconstruct our faith in Him with the goal of destroying our souls. YOU are our Deliverer with power given to Your Holy Spirit living within us—Evil cannot overcome the Overcomer of our souls surrender to You!
- We give you, Lord all glory, honor, and praise forever and ever, Amen!
RITUAL VERSUS RELATIONSHIP—IT’S PERSONAL!
This comes from daily surrender of what I think I want or need to God who knows exactly what I need most—a personal relationship that is intimate and growing.
Many years ago, I was led to journal my prayers by my spiritual mentors. It was hard to do at first; I felt like my words were becoming “repetitious babbling” that Jesus warned us not to do for obvious reasons. That’s why I leaned heavily on the prayer Jesus taught His disciples as the beginning of my prayers. This prayer of who God is and what Jesus did along with His Holy Spirit at work within us right now brings my focus to full attention and transforms my heart while renewing my mind! I didn’t do that—God did!
God looks for those seeking Him with pure hearts committed to Him and then He blesses us by growing His character traits in us! God’s character traits are listed by Paul in Galatians 5. These traits/fruits transform our hearts, minds, and souls! They are not a ritual with a check list of duties; but a relationship with God which deepens daily!
Surrendered hearts prompts God to nourish our growth in becoming more like Him. In the beginning we were made in His image; as our relationship grows, we begin to be and do what He does! In this transformation, which is ongoing and lasts until we see Him face to face, we amaze even ourselves as we begin to bear God’s traits also known as spiritual “fruits”. These character traits, listed by Paul are “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Paul says there is no law against being too loving and kind to each other!
Paul adds; “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” This is how the Apostle Paul explains a growing, intimate relationship with God which is the most important relationship we will ever have because God is Life! But it requires a surrendering daily from our lists to His agenda which is for our good and His glory! It does not matter what vocation, phase, or stage of life we live—seek God first. (Romans 12 tells us how)
What we learn is that in opening our hearts to God, whether in crisis or calm, we trust our God who knows our hearts and what we need most with faith that He delivers in ways beyond our wildest dreams or imaginations. This intimacy in relationship is not a ritual but a longing, thirst, and hunger to know God more with a desire to be like Him as we walk with Him.
THIS is one of the reasons for writing Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) each morning. It has become a way to glory the God who saved me and made me whole in His Presence. Writing (typing actually) my prayers in my journal to Him keeps the focus on Him and sets the tone for the day. Turning to His Word for how to be like Him is a must.
My prayers have transformed from lists of requests to lists of how grateful I am to God! “Come to His courts with thanksgiving”, the Psalm writers cry out. I get it. Thanksgiving puts all the focus on God helping us to see Him more clearly. Clarity of who God becomes dependency and trust that He will provide in all circumstances without telling Him what to do on our behalf—He’s already doing it! It is time we do what we said we would do for God by His leading. He’s probably already told you what to do, now do it!
I am also a morning person who married a person who is not. After 55 years of marriage, we have worked as a team “submitting” to each other’s inner strengths and preferences in life. But what makes us work is that we totally agree on what matters in this life—a relationship with Jesus who we trust and obey. God is our Father, Jesus is our Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us to what is true. God is first, each other second, then our children and grandchildren then others. We love with the love of God in our hearts. We believe that real love comes from God who is love. Then we tell the world who needs to know God’s love so they can have this personal relationship with Him, too.
Lord,
I pray for all who are reading to see YOU in these writings of praise for who YOU are, what YOU do, with what YOU want us to be and do with how to do it from YOUR Word! To YOU be all glory, honor, and praise! Life is all about YOU! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 