Monday, August 10 – “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.” (Proverbs 1:28) How can you call on someone that you don’t know? It’s like ringing the doorbell of a complete stranger, with the expectation that they’ll invite you in and help you solve any problem. Crazy right? Yet, that describes many a person’s relationship with God. It might even describe your relationship with God? No judgment. No condemnation. Just being real. The unexamined life isn’t worth living.
Tuesday, August 11 – “If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.” (Proverbs 28:9) If you only talk to God when you need a favor, how can you expect a savior? (Jelly Roll) God isn’t a Genie in a bottle. If you don’t want anything to do with God, don’t be surprised if God is silent when you need a favor. Would you grant favors to someone you don’t know? No judgment. No condemnation. Just being real. The unexamined life isn’t worth living.
Wednesday, August 12 – “’Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ ‘Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.’” (Isaiah 58:3) God isn’t interested in what you do. God’s very interested in who you are. For God knows that if who you are is transformed, what you do will simply fall in line. Yet, you expect behavior modification to be enough. You can “exploit all your workers”, while you fast, and you’ll be good with God.
Thursday, August 13 – “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security.’” (Job 31:24) God doesn’t hate wealth. But God does loathe it when people put wealth, or anything else for that matter, before God. For God is the very source of anyone’s wealth. So, is it possible that God seems silent in your life, because you’ve put your trust in something else? No judgment. No condemnation. Just being real. The unexamined life isn’t worth living.
Friday, August 14 – “If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,” (Psalm 44:20) “If” is a question of examination. “If” digs into who you are, not just what you do. “If” is about your heart, your motivation for doing what you do. The unexamined life isn’t worth living. For unless you’re real with God, God will never be real to you. And if God is never real to you, then how could you ever expect anything but silence from God? No judgment. No condemnation. Just being real.
Saturday, August 15 – “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” (Isaiah 1:15) How is who you are, preventing God from being who God is? For you accept that the sun can literally be shining on one side of the street, while rain soaks the other side. So, just maybe, your question isn’t: Why is God not present in your life? Your question is: Why isn’t God present in you? The unexamined life isn’t worth living. An upon closer examination, maybe God’s silence has more to do with who you are, as opposed to who God is.
Tuesday, August 11 – “If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.” (Proverbs 28:9) If you only talk to God when you need a favor, how can you expect a savior? (Jelly Roll) God isn’t a Genie in a bottle. If you don’t want anything to do with God, don’t be surprised if God is silent when you need a favor. Would you grant favors to someone you don’t know? No judgment. No condemnation. Just being real. The unexamined life isn’t worth living.
Wednesday, August 12 – “’Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ ‘Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.’” (Isaiah 58:3) God isn’t interested in what you do. God’s very interested in who you are. For God knows that if who you are is transformed, what you do will simply fall in line. Yet, you expect behavior modification to be enough. You can “exploit all your workers”, while you fast, and you’ll be good with God.
Thursday, August 13 – “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security.’” (Job 31:24) God doesn’t hate wealth. But God does loathe it when people put wealth, or anything else for that matter, before God. For God is the very source of anyone’s wealth. So, is it possible that God seems silent in your life, because you’ve put your trust in something else? No judgment. No condemnation. Just being real. The unexamined life isn’t worth living.
Friday, August 14 – “If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,” (Psalm 44:20) “If” is a question of examination. “If” digs into who you are, not just what you do. “If” is about your heart, your motivation for doing what you do. The unexamined life isn’t worth living. For unless you’re real with God, God will never be real to you. And if God is never real to you, then how could you ever expect anything but silence from God? No judgment. No condemnation. Just being real.
Saturday, August 15 – “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” (Isaiah 1:15) How is who you are, preventing God from being who God is? For you accept that the sun can literally be shining on one side of the street, while rain soaks the other side. So, just maybe, your question isn’t: Why is God not present in your life? Your question is: Why isn’t God present in you? The unexamined life isn’t worth living. An upon closer examination, maybe God’s silence has more to do with who you are, as opposed to who God is.
You try to eat right. You drink plenty of water. you exercise. don't forget your spirit - feed it!
daily devotions
