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Currently I’m listening to a story where a dad has to make a choice. Fulfill the treaty as he AUGHT to with his oldest, obedient daughter, or send off his youngster, a girl who was prone to cause no end of trouble. I haven’t reached the point in the story where he makes that choice, but I’m tending to think (given the nature of the book and the author) that he’ll send off his troublesome one. That he will strongly consider giving “the other”.
The story is causing me to pause in my thoughts.
Understanding The Other
Lately I’ve been reading the devotional My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Chambers challenges us to think about what it means to give our utmost for the Lord. It’s not always as easy a decision as we think it is.
Today’s reading gave me this challenge “Worship is giving God the best that He has given you.”
When I get something that is a blessing to me… a card from my hubby, a compliment from my son, a monetary gift from someone, my inclination is two-fold.
1. to thank them and
2. to keep it my own.
Oswald though says “Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love gift. take time to meditate before God and offering the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship.”
Deliberate. Giving back. Doing the OTHER.
So not just saying Thanks God that was awesome and then hoarding it in.
But taking the time to genuinely praise and worship him and offering it back. Therefore if God blesses me with plentiful rain and an abundant harvest I need to THANK him for it. Not take it for granted. I need to take that abundant harvest and allow him to use it. If he blesses me with good health, then I need to use that good health as a praise offering to him. Not just merely going about my business without giving him a thought.
It’s a deliberate act on my part. To consider those blessings given, praise him for it, and offer them back to him as worship.
It’s an outside focus. A focus that is non-worldly, not self-centered
It’s The Other.
This post is part of the Write 31 days Challenge.
Great post! Thank you.
❤️Terri
Something to deeply consider, this taking a blessing we have been gifted and “returning it” to God through praise, deliberately. I make sure I take time daily to thank God for those physical blessings and moments of joy and such but I have never considered other “moments” that might need to be a part of that. Good thoughts.
thank you. Sometimes thoughts just kind of grab you, you know?