Daily Delight
I want to throw a little spanner in the works today. We are just a few weeks into January of 2017 and I guess, like me, you’re trying really hard to stick to your new resolutions. Maybe you’re planning to ‘work on yourself’.
Well, I was listening to an old favourite song of mine the other day by Hillsong and a certain lyric jumped out at me. In fact, I was so moved by it I had to listen to it again, pray about it and then write it down. It was this: 'The art of losing myself in giving you praise’. This New Year I have been so caught up on working on myself. That is, reading my Bible more; being more generous; talking to others about my faith, and so on. I think, even, that I have been focusing on myself so much so, that I have started to lose sight of the whole purpose of my goals: to bring Him praise.
Now please don’t read me wrong – all of these resolutions are great. Really great. But if we’re not, careful we can begin to see ourselves as projects needing perfecting. We want to smooth our rough edges and paint over our worn down surfaces. The danger in doing that is we can so easily forget that we are made in the image of God and only His grace can ‘perfect’ us.
Take Jesus for example (because He is always the best example). He was often spotted going off to “a solitary place, where He prayed,” (Mark 1:35, NIV). He knew that what was most important was spending time with His Father. Noone needed to know where He was or what He was doing. He was God. He is perfect. And yet He still spent time in prayer. This shows us that we shouldn’t pray and worship to improve ourselves, but simply because we have a Father so incredibly worthy of praise.
I guess what I’m trying to say is: turn the microscope around. Stop looking inwardly at yourself and start looking to the One True Saviour who deserves our everything. Then it will only be natural for us to pick up our Bible, to pray in every circumstance and to share His Word with others.
Naomi Grace Armstrong≫ ≫ Naomi is a nineteen-year-old university student who spends more time in Church and with her friends than she actually does studying for her English and Journalism degree! She lives in the rainiest city in the UK (Manchester) - but that doesn't stop her from spending lots of time walking, listening to her immensely long Spotify 'Praise' playlist and coffee shop hopping. She has a passion for overseas mission and has been a worship leader for some time now.