For the Lord’s Great Name’s Sake. The Knowledge of the Holy and 1 Samuel 12.

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 12

I have recently begun reading A.W. Tozer’s “The Knowledge of the Holy” for the fifth time. Other than the Bible and C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series, I’ve never read the same book again and again. The first chapter of “The Knowledge of the Holy” is entitled, “Why We Must Think Rightly About God.” I’d love to just quote the whole chapter for you, but instead I’ll share a few sentences and urge you to get the book for yourself.

“We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God.”

“Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence.”

“All the problems of heaven and earth, though they were to confront us together and at once, would be nothing compared with the overwhelming problem of God: That He is; what He is like; and what we as mortal beings must do about Him.”

I was thinking about these ideas while reading 1 Samuel 12, especially this verse:

For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.

1 Samuel 12:22 ESV

Questions like, “Does God exist for my pleasure or do I exist for His? Does God see me, know me, and care about me? Is He in charge or am I? Will God keep His promises? Why?” run through my mind. The answers to these questions are found – must be found – in God’s Word rather than our emotions, logical conclusions, or Google searches.

Pray with me.

Heavenly Father, I know that You are all-powerful and all-knowing and holy and righteous and good because Your Word and Your Creation confirm it. You have created me and redeemed me for Your pleasure, for Your Name’s sake. I want to live for Your glory. I want to glorify and magnify Your Name. Help me. Strengthen me. Enlighten me. Draw all men to Yourself that there might be a great cloud of witnesses praising You for all eternity. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

The Eternal, Unchanging God

Read through the Bible: Hebrews 1

“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

Hebrews 1:10-12 ESV

Heavenly Father, What a comfort it is to know that You are the unchanging God! Even things that seem unchanging – the sandy coastline, the rocky mountains, the sun, moon and stars – even these things change and wear out. But You, oh God, You remain the same. You never have to get better because You are already completely perfect. You will never wear out or grow old or get weary. I’m looking forward to eternity with You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.