Saturday, March 10, 2018

Day 256 - Who Do You Think You Are?

Thoughts that have come from various quotes taken from the book, "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim Based Society" by John H. Hovis. Click here to link directly to the audio file.

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"Floundering in the knowledge that we mean absolutely nothing to God is a victim’s paradise."

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 166.

I hope you noticed that I didn't say that it is wrong that we mean absolutely nothing to this God in my quote above. Truth is, we are so insignificant, how could we ever think we rise to some level that would ever allow us to approach this unapproachable being? It is when we allow ourselves to wallow in that thought that victim thinking really starts to take us to places we just don't need to go.

Truth is that, in of ourselves, we are nothing to this God. This fact is clearly highlighted in many places in the Bible. None more directly than in the Book of Job. At one point in the story of Job's life, God shows up and helps Job remember his position before this awesome being. Check out the following questions God pelts Job with. As I read these questions, think about how you would feel if you were on the receiving of this kind of smack down like Job found himself on this amazing day.

Where were you when I created the earth?
And have you ever ordered Morning, ‘Get up!’
    told Dawn, ‘Get to work!’
So you could seize Earth like a blanket
    and shake out the wicked like cockroaches?
Have you ever gotten to the true bottom of things,
    explored the labyrinthine caves of deep ocean?
Do you know the first thing about death?
    Do you have one clue regarding death’s dark mysteries?
Do you know where Light comes from
    and where Darkness lives
So you can take them by the hand
    and lead them home when they get lost?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
    the mother of ice and frost?
You don’t for a minute imagine
    these marvels of weather just happen, do you?
Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,
    or distract Orion from his hunt?
Can you get Venus to look your way,
    or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?
Do you know the first thing about the sky’s constellations
    and how they affect things on Earth? Job 38 (various MSG)

I don't know about you, but I would feel pretty puny if I were on the receiving end of this lesson God was teaching Job. You see, Job had gotten to a place where he was questioning whether God knew what He was doing or not based on the terrible circumstances Satan had made happen in his life. Don't you know how easy it is to question God when things take a turn for the worse?

How many times have I asked God - "Are you kidding me?" when something bad happens in the middle of all the things I'm involved in that I consider doing work for God. It is as though I'm saying to God, "Don't you see how good I am - how could you let this badness happen when I'm being so good?" Those words are nothing more than a direct affront directed at God's abilities. I dare to question God's plan because His plan might intersect with my life in ways that jeopardize the comfort of this life I work so hard to try and maintain.

Sometimes I need to be reminded of who I am. I'm not God's equal. I'm His Child. Is your 2 year old son or daughter your equal? Too many parents today think their kids are their equal and the world is getting to be more of a mess because of the confusion that ensues from such a ridiculous view on life.

Today's reading helps remind me just how small I am to this God. Amazing thing is that God doesn't want us to wallow in the pity of being in that small place. Our God doesn't owe us anything because of how good we are at serving Him. We are blessed to be able to relate to a God who doesn't need a single thing - us included.

Staying in that place of thinking too lowly of ourselves is what makes the victor flounder in life. The answer to feeling lowly isn't to think more highly of ourselves. The fix to feeling lowly is to think more highly of who this God is. Since our victor status is something we can experience as a direct result of the fact that God chooses to commune with us is a fact that shouldn't be a pride puffing exercise in self awareness. His choice is based on what He sees, what He has done and what He thinks of us. It doesn't have anything to do with us at all other than we are the objects of His love for reasons that have nothing to do with our circumstance, ability or determination.

The fact is that we really don't amount to much at all when compared to this God. If we live in that place for too long we will begin to take on a victim thinking attitude that is so dangerous for this world. All we can do is to realize our worthiness before God and let the worth He sees in us be all we need to live in the power of what it means to be a victor.

Don't think too highly of yourself or pride will knock you down. Don't think too lowly of yourself or despair will rule the day. Think as little about yourself as you possibly can. Think about what God thinks about when it comes to who you are. You are His beloved Child. You are His special workmanship. You are purposed and empowered for a destiny. You are everything you need to be to live out the victor status God has done so much to provide for you to have today.

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