God, From Mom, Part 3

Intimacy is on of the characteristics of a heart turned toward God.

Know God through His Word.

Daniel 11:32  He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant.  But the people who know their God will be strong and resist him.  (again, the first "he" here is not God, but a character referred to as the king of the north.)

We can learn about God by His attributes.  An attribute is an inherant characteristic of a person or a being.

Psalm 8:1  O Lord, our Lord, you majestic name fills the earth!  Your glory is higher than the heavens.   This is the personal name of God combined with the meaning "Master, Sovereign,"  all sufficient God.  

From the footnote of Mom's Bible on Psalm 91:1-2
God - "the Lord" is the personal name of God (Yahweh)
Elyon - the Most High
Elohim - the sublime God
El Shaddai - God Almighty

Psalm 91:1-2  Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the Lord; He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him.  

Psalm 63 speaks of fellowship with God.

1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.  2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.  3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!  4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.  5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.  I will praise you with songs of joy.  6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.  7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.  9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth.  10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals.  11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced.

From the "Truth in Action" commentary of Mom's Bible.  vs1-2:  Thirst for God.  Anticipate.  This will result in more time with Him.   This is a worship hymn to God.  Falling in love with Jesus.  True worship.

Longing for God.  Psalm 42:1-2  As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.  I thirst for God, the living God.  When can I go and stand before Him?  

This is my prayer, my hearts desire.  Oh, that I would have a longing and thirst for You, Lord.  My hearts desire - to know You intimately, to walk close beside You always, to know Your grace, love, power.  This is my prayer.

From me:

And mine too.  My heart echoes Mom's that I would have a longing and thirst for the Lord.  It's not always easy to find in ourselves, the daily routine and concern for the tangible drown out our need and desire for the divine.  Sometimes we have to quiet our hearts and minds and just seek Him. When we do, we find that deep yearning that can only be filled by the Almighty.

Lord, continue to fill me with this desire.  I want to thirst for You as David did.  Let it be my driving need.  Jesus said in Matthew 4:4...People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."  I need You, Your words, Your presence more than food, more than water, more than anything this life or this world have to offer.  Lord, sometimes I forget this.  I see and feel the world around me, and lose my true north, my truest focus, which is You.  I thank You for the desire You've put within me for Yourself.  I ask that You increase it.  Keep it in the forefront of my thoughts.  Give each of us a deeper desire for You.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Today, put aside the world, the concerns and the to do lists, for just a little while and seek the Lord. Ask Him to fill your with this desire for Himself.  And then act, in faith, on that desire.