Pursuing God in our Hearts
Nancy's Notes
Every instruction God gives us about life is for human flourishing and His glory. Psalm 34:4 “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy;… The pursuits of the world have to do with personal happiness and personal fulfillment; these goals end sooner or later in disappointment. But, God sets us free from such pursuits to find our “exceeding joy” in Him!! This is why we cannot neglect connecting with Him every day--because our soul’s desire for satisfaction will start looking elsewhere for delight.
An interesting phrase in 1 Peter 3:15 connects with what I have just said. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,...” Are you not fascinated with these words also? Matthew Henry commented rather briefly (for Matthew Henry) concerning this phrase. “We sanctify the Lord God in our hearts when we with sincerity and fervency adore him, when our thoughts of him are awful (awe full) and reverend, when we rely upon his power, trust to his faithfulness, submit to his wisdom, imitate his holiness, and give him the glory due to his most illustrious perfections. We sanctify God before others when our deportment is such as invites and encourages others to glorify and honour him;...” This sure sounds like the foundation for “exceeding joy” to me.
May your soul be blessed as you listen to this wonderful song we sang at church on Sunday. https://sovereigngracemusic.bandcamp.com/track/o-lord-my-rock-and-my-redeemer-2
Plan to join us this Thursday morning at 9:30 to discuss the first half of Lesson 4 where we will tie together the pursuit of God and suffering.
March 3, 2021 Nancy Suko