God at work

Tell of His Majesty (Prayer Devotional for the week of October 5, 2014)

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We’ve been in southern Utah about two months now, and although we’re learning our way around and getting into some scheduling routines, there are times when the majesty of God’s creation makes me feel as awe-inspired as it did when I first arrived in town for my job interview last spring. Routines are fine, and staying on schedule is great, but it’s easy to get caught in the daily grind and lose sight of the wonders that God has placed around us.

 

As we were driving into town the other day, the sun illuminated one of the mountains in such a way that it practically glowed in vibrant colors. Trying to explain it won’t do it justice, but it was remarkable. The rocky parts were a pallet of such rich browns and reds that Sherwin-Williams would be jealous. The forested areas were a blend of dark and bright greens. It was glorious.

 

I pointed out the view to the kids, and we all oohed and ahhed over it. We talked about how lovely it is here, yet sometimes we just go about our day and don’t pay much attention to it. One of the younger ones commented, “Yeah, sometimes I just get used to seeing it.”

 

The psalmist reminded us to keep God’s majesty in the forefront of our minds, and to share his wonders with others as a testimony of his goodness: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds” Psalm 145:4-6 (NIV).

 

It has barely been two months, yet we have to remind ourselves to look around and admire what God has done. May we be more mindful of God’s majesty, not only his creation, but also his many wonderful blessings in our lives.

Move, Mountain! (Prayer Devotional for the week of Sept. 7, 2014)

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A couple of times in the book of Matthew, Jesus used a mountain as an illustration for his disciples’ faith. In chapter 17:20, he says that with a small dose of faith, you can instruct a mountain to move from one place to another. Later in chapter 21:21, he makes a similar reference to telling a mountain to throw itself into the ocean. Whenever I’ve heard sermons on these verses, the gist is always about trusting the Lord and putting our faith in him.

That’s all well and good, but now that I am surrounded by mountains everywhere I turn, I have a greater appreciation for just how much effort it would take to relocate one of those enormous piles of rock. I realized that mountains can be moved by one of three ways: explosion, erosion, and effort.

Driving through a mountain is a beautiful experience, but sometimes I wonder how much TNT went into blowing a hole into the mountain in order to build a road. When God does a mountain-moving work in our lives, it can feel chaotic and uncomfortable. Sometimes, it seems downright explosive, as we are compelled to make serious and swift changes to correct sin in our lives.

On other occasions, God’s handiwork is slow and deliberate, like the way wind and water carve their way through rock formations. Similarly, our old self erodes away as we grow closer to Christ. I think this might be what Paul meant in Philippians 2:12-13 when he talked about “working out” our salvation. Our decision to follow Jesus is a one-time deal, but becoming more and more like him takes the rest of our lives.

Lastly, it seems like sometimes when we ask God to move mountains in our lives, he hands us a pickaxe and says to get to work! Moving mountains can require a lot of effort on our part. Yes, God is almighty, and yes, he could make the mountain move effortlessly, but the learning experience and character building is for our benefit when we get our hands dirty with work.