The
devotional for today is from Chuck Swindall. This is the second
devotional for the week of April 9-13. You can find this devotional
online at https://www.insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/cultivate-relationship-with-god or read it below. I hope it is encouraging in your Christian walk. Leave a comment below for CBU credits.
Cultivate Relationship with God
Psalm 100
is an extended command to worship the Lord, giving specific
instructions to follow. The first three commands in 100:1–2 are directly
related to
cultivating a spirit of joy. The next four call for our response to the
Lord's identity and character. We'll examine the first two of these
commands.
Know that the LORD Himself is God
(100:3).At first glance, this seems like an odd command. A close
examination of the Hebrew terms will help clarify what the psalmist
intends.
The Hebrew word rendered "know" is yada. When used in reference to a person, it denotes a personal, experiential knowledge, not mere recognition.
It's the same term biblical writers used as a euphemism for sexual intercourse (see Genesis 4:1; 19:8; Numbers 31:17, 35; Judges 11:39; 21:11; 1 Kings 1:4;
1 Samuel 1:19). Our knowledge of God should be personal and experiential, not merely theological.
The word "LORD" translates God's personal name,
represented in Hebrew by the four consonants YHWH, and considered too
holy to pronounce audibly. You may
recall it's based on the verb "to be," identifying Him as the deity who
actually exists. The late Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer called
Him "the
God who is there" (as opposed to all the gods who are not!).
"Himself " serves to single out YHWH as the subject of the verb,
emphasizing that no other name qualifies for this distinction. The
sentence might just as
well be rendered, "Know that YHWH, He is God" or "He alone is God." I like the additional qualification tacked on by one contemporary
songwriter: "He is God (and I am not!)"
The English word "God" at the end of the verse translates the Hebrew term elohim,
which emphasizes the grandeur of God, much like calling a king
"His Royal Highness." So, when you put the entire command together, it
could be paraphrased, "Know by personal experience that YHWH alone is
the sovereign
God of all."
I see two implications of practical importance here. First, God is
sovereign over each of us, individually. He's not merely the ruler of
the universe,
having dominion over galaxies and able to command the forces of nature.
He's my sovereign. He's your king. He's the boss; we answer to
Him. When we surrender to that fact, life becomes much easier to understand and joy takes the place of frustration.
Second, our knowledge of God as our sovereign Lord must be gained
through personal experience. That implies a personal relationship in
which He leads and
we follow. And through that ongoing interchange, the decision to trust
Him becomes a settled, unshakable confidence. Confident people are
joyful people.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise
(100:4).What was in the psalmist's mind? To what do the "gates" and
"courts" refer? There are two possibilities. First, it could refer to
the
stronghold of a ruler, where he holds court, deciding cases and granting
favors. If so, the invitation is to enter the great hall with praises
and
thanksgiving rather than seeking something from the Ruler.
The second possibility is a reference to the temple, the place where the
people of God approached the Lord. In the Old Testament, the
otherworldly glow of
His glory—called the shekinah by the Hebrews—filled the Most Holy Place in the temple (2 Chronicles 5:14 and 1 Kings 8:10–11). The temple had
gates and courts, both of which gave access to the presence of God.
Because Jesus Christ satisfied all the requirements of the temple
rituals, we no longer go to a specific place to meet God. Today, we
worship "in spirit
and truth" (John 4:23). So, how do we enter His gates and His courts? What is our access to His presence today? The answer is prayer. Hebrews 4:16
invites
us to "draw near" to God's throne. Through prayer we come into the very
presence of God. This psalm tells us to approach the Lord with
thanksgiving and
praise. Sometimes it's good to save our petitions and requests for
another time and seek an audience for the sole purpose of praise.
Sometimes it's good to save our petitions for later and approach God for the sole purpose of praise.
— Charles R. Swindoll
Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, Living the Psalms: Encouragement for the Daily Grind
(Brentwood, Tenn.: Worthy Publishing, a division of Worthy Media, Inc.,
2012). Copyright © 2012 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights are
reserved. Used by permission.
Cultivate Relationship with God
Cultivate Relationship with God
Know that the LORD Himself is God (100:3).At first glance, this seems like an odd command. A close examination of the Hebrew terms will help clarify what the psalmist intends.
The Hebrew word rendered "know" is yada. When used in reference to a person, it denotes a personal, experiential knowledge, not mere recognition. It's the same term biblical writers used as a euphemism for sexual intercourse (see Genesis 4:1; 19:8; Numbers 31:17, 35; Judges 11:39; 21:11; 1 Kings 1:4; 1 Samuel 1:19). Our knowledge of God should be personal and experiential, not merely theological.
The word "LORD" translates God's personal name, represented in Hebrew by the four consonants YHWH, and considered too holy to pronounce audibly. You may recall it's based on the verb "to be," identifying Him as the deity who actually exists. The late Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer called Him "the God who is there" (as opposed to all the gods who are not!).
"Himself " serves to single out YHWH as the subject of the verb, emphasizing that no other name qualifies for this distinction. The sentence might just as well be rendered, "Know that YHWH, He is God" or "He alone is God." I like the additional qualification tacked on by one contemporary songwriter: "He is God (and I am not!)"
The English word "God" at the end of the verse translates the Hebrew term elohim, which emphasizes the grandeur of God, much like calling a king "His Royal Highness." So, when you put the entire command together, it could be paraphrased, "Know by personal experience that YHWH alone is the sovereign God of all."
I see two implications of practical importance here. First, God is sovereign over each of us, individually. He's not merely the ruler of the universe, having dominion over galaxies and able to command the forces of nature. He's my sovereign. He's your king. He's the boss; we answer to Him. When we surrender to that fact, life becomes much easier to understand and joy takes the place of frustration.
Second, our knowledge of God as our sovereign Lord must be gained through personal experience. That implies a personal relationship in which He leads and we follow. And through that ongoing interchange, the decision to trust Him becomes a settled, unshakable confidence. Confident people are joyful people.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise (100:4).What was in the psalmist's mind? To what do the "gates" and "courts" refer? There are two possibilities. First, it could refer to the stronghold of a ruler, where he holds court, deciding cases and granting favors. If so, the invitation is to enter the great hall with praises and thanksgiving rather than seeking something from the Ruler.
The second possibility is a reference to the temple, the place where the people of God approached the Lord. In the Old Testament, the otherworldly glow of His glory—called the shekinah by the Hebrews—filled the Most Holy Place in the temple (2 Chronicles 5:14 and 1 Kings 8:10–11). The temple had gates and courts, both of which gave access to the presence of God.
Because Jesus Christ satisfied all the requirements of the temple rituals, we no longer go to a specific place to meet God. Today, we worship "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23). So, how do we enter His gates and His courts? What is our access to His presence today? The answer is prayer. Hebrews 4:16 invites us to "draw near" to God's throne. Through prayer we come into the very presence of God. This psalm tells us to approach the Lord with thanksgiving and praise. Sometimes it's good to save our petitions and requests for another time and seek an audience for the sole purpose of praise.
Sometimes it's good to save our petitions for later and approach God for the sole purpose of praise.
— Charles R. Swindoll
— Charles R. Swindoll
Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, Living the Psalms: Encouragement for the Daily Grind
(Brentwood, Tenn.: Worthy Publishing, a division of Worthy Media, Inc.,
2012). Copyright © 2012 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights are
reserved. Used by permission.
Worship through an open heart toward God in prayer. An relationship with God with our inner being and not just external ritual. This must have been shocking to the Jews of Jesus' day, especially the Pharisees. It's the heart, not the action.
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