On Day 8 for the Gratitude Challenge 2022, and today’s word is deeper. How does this blend in with our looking at gratitude? Only a million different ways!
If you want to check out the original Gratitude Challenge post, take a look at this link to The Uncommon Normal. You may want to get involved as well!
Deeper Still
The first thing that came to mind when I saw this word for today was the lyrics to one of my favorite worship songs, Good Good Father. “As you call me deeper still into love, love, love..” is how the line goes.
Every time I sing it, I always mentally whisper a little prayer that that will be me. That Jesus DOES call me deeper still into love.
Love isn’t always easy. Any married person can tell you that, lol. But it’s sure worth it. Especially when we’re talking about the love of our good, good Father.
Deeper Into the Kingdom
I was talking with my daughter the other day about the so-called American Dream. And it reminded me that believers have a KINGDOM Dream. We are to think on things that further the Kingdom, and not any fleshly venture or gain.
The world would have us believe that to go “deeper” is to go harder, putting more and more on the line. Take extra classes. Drive a newer car. Have all the latest gadgets.
But me? I think to be Kingdom minded we have to put all those things at the back of our mind. I would rather focus on my own conscience. I want to be more careful to not offend my own conscience toward God than that of anyone around me!
Why It’s Important
Because I want to say someday, as Paul did, that I have lived in all good conscience before God… (Acts 23:1) And again, as Acts 24:16 says, to always have a conscience VOID of offense toward God and toward men.
He even says, in 1 Corinthians 8:12, that if we sin against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, we sin against Christ!
It’s even better for us to suffer wrongfully than to offend our conscience. 1 Peter 2:19 says it this way: “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.” It’s one thing, he says, to suffer and take it patiently if we’re in the wrong. But it’s acceptable to God to even suffer when we do well.
Because Jesus is our Example
I’m thankful to have an example of how deeper is sometimes more than it seems. HE suffered so that we wouldn’t have to, even as a sinless and perfect man. He knew exactly what it meant to suffer for doing well, even to the point of taking stripes, being beaten, mocked, spit on, and crucified.
How small our problems are in comparison, are they not? How LITTLE we suffer at all!
I pray that we all dig a little deeper into what it means to have a heart of gratitude… and a conscience that is pure before Jesus.
Yes, deeper still. The place where the faint in heart will not venture (that includes me). But the only place where we can truly encounter the deep work of God. The thought came today: The scars on Jesus’ hands reveal just how far Jesus is willing to reach someone in the pit no one else will dare to go” (Hosea 11:9). That’s deep. That’s where the “real Jesus” is found. Blessings to you!
Wow! That IS deep! Our house is definitely in battlefield mode, spiritually speaking, and I thank God that nothing is wasted in this Kingdom work! Blessings to you too, brother, thank you so much for sharing!