September 13, 2013
“I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:1-2 New American Standard
Do you spend much time during the day blessing the Lord with your words .. your heart .. and your spirit? It’s very rare with all the distractions of instant access that competes for our thoughts. It’s not about trying to be religious or act a certain way for others. What would your life look like if this focus of blessing the Lord throughout the day was your conscious aim. It takes practice .. over and over .. to develop a heart and spirit that blesses the Lord. How do you bless Him? With words .. with acts of grace and mercy to others .. and with a life freed from having to please others and conform to everyone’s expectations. That may be almost impossible in your work and world. But blessing the Lord is more about your heart and whether you are indeed walking and living in the freedom of Christ’s life in you. Blessing the Lord is where the margins of your life find air to breathe .. to inhale grace .. and exhale gratefulness. You can be in the middle of a difficult situation .. painful .. uncertain .. and filled with pressure. It can be the very opposite where there is no pressure at all. Blessing the Lord is about what is filling your life today? Think about what you have talked about this week .. the people you’ve been around .. the circumstances you’ve faced? Was Christ first and last in these areas? He can be .. all in. He wants to be that “all” in you today? It only takes a moment …
“For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns they dictate.” Galatians 6:14 The Message
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Followers of Jesus being set free and friends of Priority One (kchesterp1@gmail.com)