WHAT WE OWE GOD

Today's promise: God delights in those who honor him

What we owe God

The strength of a horse does not impress him; how puny in his sight is the strength of man. Rather, the Lord's delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Psalm 147:10-11 NLT

God being who and what He is, and we being who and what we are, the only thinkable relation between us is one of full lordship on His part and complete submission on ours. We owe him every honor that it is in our power to give Him.

A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)

What God delights in

In Psalm 147 we discover an important secret about relating to the Lord. Our great and mighty God, who has absolute power over everything in heaven and on earth, is not impressed with powerful people. Those who are strong and mighty in their own strength don't get God's attention. Instead, it is the brokenhearted and humble he notices and supports (vv. 3,6).

He chooses to work not through those who are strong but through those who are weak. And most of all, we don't earn his approval by being great or strong. He delights in those who reverently honor him and put their hope and trust in his unfailing love and mercy, not in their own ability. Today, if you've put your hope in anyone or anything else, ask the Lord to forgive you. But don't stop there. Ask his Spirit to so work in your life that your primary goal becomes honoring and pleasing God.

DEAR LORD, there have been times — even many — when I have relied on someone or something other than you. Forgive me.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Praying through the Bible by Cheri Fuller, Tyndale House Publishers (2003), entry for June 29.

Digging Deeper: read Total Abandon by Gary Witherall and Elizabeth Cody Newenhuyse (Tyndale, 2005)

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House