Psalms Chapter 47. Excited for Jesus.
Let's get excited today!
This chapter says we are to clap our hands and shout for joy for a great and mighty and awesome God.
This chapter definitely got me thinking. I hope you read the whole thing.
I thought of a video I saw a few years ago comparing tribal people painting their faces and worshipping a false god with Americans with painted faces, getting extremely excited for football. It was thought-provoking. What I mean is, it didn't make me think we shouldn't get excited about football, but it did make me think, how excited am I for the Lord?
People can tell how excited I am about football or some intense game. It's observable. How excited am I about the Lord? What is observable about my excitement for Jesus? What inhibits me from being excited? What should be observable?
Today I'm forced to think what should be observable?
– I should be willing to casually talk about testimonies in my life about what God is doing.
– I should be willing to casually talk about answered prayers.
– People should be able to observe a lifestyle that naturally exhibits a love for the Lord.
—– perhaps it's them seeing me read my Bible on break.
—– perhaps it's them seeing me go over a Bible memory verse written on an index card.
—– perhaps it's more than that. Perhaps it's them hearing me say I'll be praying for them when they share something of great misfortune.
—– perhaps it's them seeing me take great interest in a specific need that they have where I reach out to help them.
I'm not saying being excited is a “specific act” or a “specific example” because it's more than that. It's a lifestyle.
– it's a lifestyle that exhibits a true love and excitement for the Lord that is not ashamed. It's not inhibited by peer pressure or anti-God statements.
– it's us not inhibiting the Holy Spirit, but allowing the Holy Spirit to compel us to speak when we should speak. Be excited when we should be excited. Act when we should act. Love when we should love. Show hate for sin when we should show hate. Not giving into peer pressure when peer pressure comes. Giving praise to God when we should give praise.
Dear Lord, may I be free in Christ to allow people to observe a real love and excitement for you. May I not let people inhibit my demonstration of Faith. May I not be ashamed to share a testimony. May I be compelled and led by your Spirit to love those who hate me and pray for those who mistreat me. May I not be compelled to silence but with excitement share what great things you are doing in a through my life, or the lives of others.
Amen
From reading today, I was reminded that as followers of Jesus, our lifestyle should always be showing Jesus to those around us by all that we say and all that we do. Are others seeing the love, joy, peace, and other fruit as well as the excitement and enthusiasm that we should have to live our lives for the One who gave His life for us?