Pastor John D Jakes

When we talk about why we are on the earth, the answers are usually us centered.  We speak of finding fulfillment and purpose.  We speak of God having a wonderful plan for our lives.  Can you imagine doing that with another friend (and keeping them)? 

I can just imagine…Josh asks Kevin why he is friends with him and Kevin replies: It’s because you give me lots of money.  Or Sally asks Jane why she is friends with her and Jane replies: Your presence in my life is in my best interest,  your stuff makes me happy! 

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Psalms 84:10

Whatever happened to loving God just for being God? Yes, God gives us good things. The Psalm above mentions those things: grace, glory, good things. Yet, both this Psalm and the rest of the Psalms never even hint that the reason they worship God is because He gives good stuff. The good stuff God gives is a glorious result of the goodness of God. That is what the saints of old were really after. They wanted to love and know the God who is truly good. It wasn’t self-centered, it was God-centered.

Whatever happened to God being the most important thing in our lives?  Isn’t He worth that?  Do we truly see Him that way, or is He just a means to a better end?  Our scripture this week declares that it is better to have a day in God’s presence than a thousand any where else.  I see a picture in my mind of a person who is at the end of his or her life being asked what 1 thing they want to do before they died.  Today, we would call that our bucket list. The Psalmist’s answer is – spend it before God.  What is your answer?  Why? 

No, this isn’t a criticism of the other things on your bucket list. We all have a few things we want to get to before God calls us home. However, it is an illustration of where God falls in our priority list. The One we claim to adore should be on there. He should be on our list because we adore Him. He should be on there because He is worth it. He has proven it… hasn’t He?

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

John 10:14-15

Something to think about,

Pastor John