God Likes Details

Doing a knitted lace shawl for the first time was a challenge.  The instructions were in chart form when I was used to written instructions.  I knew what the stitch symbols on the chart meant.

I started off good, but the stitch count was wrong.  I couldn't find where I was getting off and I kept losing my place on the chart.  I ripped it out time and time again. I was getting more and more frustrated.  I finally gave up and asked God for help. Immediately my eyes quit jumping around and I could keep my place in the row.

The next night, I started having the same problem again, jumpy eyes and wrong stitch count. I don't know how long I worked on it, but I finally asked God for help.  He pointed out to me how much time I had spent on the shawl as compared to how much time I spent in the Bible with Him. I was ashamed and asked for forgiveness and eventually completed the shawl.

I was thinking it was too small and not urgent to ask God for help.  We are to acknowledge Him in all things (Prov 3:6, KJV). And if He has our hairs numbered, you know He likes details. We need to come to Him daily and not leave Him as the last resort.

What Can You Do for God

What can you do for a God who owns cattle on a thousand hills and would not tell you if He was hungry? (Ps 50:10,12)  Where do you begin?  Pleasing Him looks like a daunting task.

Obeying the ten commandments is a good place to start, but it cannot take the place of salvation through Jesus.  The Israelites could not keep them, and neither can we.  Do not confuse salvation by works with obeying.

There are things we can do that will affect us and our attitudes.

One is sacrifice.  Jesus said "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matt 16:24, KJV).  It starts with small sacrifices: don't add sugar to your cereal, and start the day with Bible reading before you begin the work for the day.  Taking up the cross and follow me require more effort.  Go against your attitude and say nice things to the co-worker you can't stand and follow Jesus example to pray for them.

Giving thanksgiving will take a cut into your pride, but God appreciates it.  Doing so brings blessings. The tenth leper that was healed gave thanks, and Jesus told him that "your faith has made thee whole."(Luke 17:12-19, KJV)

Ps 50:13 says "Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, the LORD be magnified." (KJV)  What does a magnifier do?  It makes things look bigger and where you can appreciate it more. To magnify the Lord, we can tell others about what God has done for us.  We will be shining a light on God for who He is and what He can do.  It will help people make God seem bigger and appreciate Him more.

Doing these things will bring you into a closer relationship to God.  As you go along, it will become easier and easier to do.  Then you can declare with John that His commandments are not grievous
(I John 5:3, KJV).