The Cattle on a Thousand Hills
Our recent back roads detour had me shooting some photos of cattle on hills....
Psalm 50:10-11 came to mind.
"Every animal in the forest belongs to me, and so do the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds in the mountains, and every wild creature is in my care."
Translation...Everything belongs to God.
Currently, I am trying to process the deep lessons I am to learn from this time of trial related to my father in law's home going in the midst of a world wide pandemic. Bare with me as a wander through "stuff" with Jesus.
As I began to study Psalm 50 where the cattle on a thousand hills verse is found I looked into the lesson God was teaching the Israelites and thus us, concerning our sacrifices. The Israelites were doing the right thing and following the law, but God is pointing out that He doesn't need our offerings, for every thing we could bring to him already belongs to God.
We act as if we own "the stuff" we have and what we give to God we are sacrificing from our property. Oh, how I hope these pandemic days are a wake up call to our souls. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He owns us and every bird, beast and animal as well.
It's not just an external compliance God wants from us. We can walk into church (well not now) Sunday after Sunday in an obedient act, but if we aren't going in true worship of God with thanksgiving in our hearts, it means nothing.
Psalm 50:15 says:
"...and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
We certainly need deliverance right now. We feel like we are sacrificing so much! I'll admit I feel like I've been cheated out of several "rights" this past month. The right to be inside a nursing home with a loved one. The right to worship in my church. The right to travel where I want and have whomever I want in my home. While these are such small sacrifices to make, at my age some of these things are times with loved ones I know I will never get back.
What matters though is what we are doing with Jesus. There is really only one sacrifice we are to make.
"Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus." Hebrews 13:15
Today's Coloring Page Promise
"God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8
As I began to study Psalm 50 where the cattle on a thousand hills verse is found I looked into the lesson God was teaching the Israelites and thus us, concerning our sacrifices. The Israelites were doing the right thing and following the law, but God is pointing out that He doesn't need our offerings, for every thing we could bring to him already belongs to God.
We act as if we own "the stuff" we have and what we give to God we are sacrificing from our property. Oh, how I hope these pandemic days are a wake up call to our souls. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He owns us and every bird, beast and animal as well.
It's not just an external compliance God wants from us. We can walk into church (well not now) Sunday after Sunday in an obedient act, but if we aren't going in true worship of God with thanksgiving in our hearts, it means nothing.
Psalm 50:15 says:
"...and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
We certainly need deliverance right now. We feel like we are sacrificing so much! I'll admit I feel like I've been cheated out of several "rights" this past month. The right to be inside a nursing home with a loved one. The right to worship in my church. The right to travel where I want and have whomever I want in my home. While these are such small sacrifices to make, at my age some of these things are times with loved ones I know I will never get back.
What matters though is what we are doing with Jesus. There is really only one sacrifice we are to make.
"Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus." Hebrews 13:15
Today's Coloring Page Promise
"God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8
