Spiritual Viewpoints

by Rick Smith

New Viewpoints

Out Stretched Arms of Love

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There was a chill in the air. It wasn’t the preacher ~ he and his sermon were fired up. The building was warm. The enthusiasm for worship was obvious. But for a few people hurt feelings had poured water on the Spirit’s flame.

Bringing people together and making them one was Christ’s prayer, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:20-21).

When brethren differ with each other, and at the same time love the Lord, reconciliation is often a hug away. Paul tells us how to walk through hurt feelings:

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:1-3).

The perfect answer to healing hurt feelings is running towards each other with out-stretched arms of love. It’s a God thing ~ outstretched arms of love!

Adoration

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Thanking my wife for cooking a great dinner puts a smile on her face; telling my wife what I adore about her puts a glow in her heart. I am thankful for what she does, but I adore who she is.

Surely, the same must be true of God. We thank him for what he does, and adore him for who he is. Although both are pleasing, one, the adoration, is special.

It seems like my thanking often outweighs my adoration. More times than not my prayers are requests for blessings and thanksgiving for answers, rather than praising and adoring God for who he is. Both adoration and thanksgiving are good, but a lack of balance makes me question my God-centeredness and wonder about my self-centeredness.

King David was a man after God’s own heart. He was a friend of God. Although his life was marred by horrific sins: lust, adultery, murder and lies, his heart went after God, and God forgave him his sins. When I read the words of David, I understand how he was able to touch God’s heart. David was more than thankful, he was full of adoration. Listen to David’s words:

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, O LORD,
God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
(I Chronicles 29:10-13)

Those words demonstrate the highest level of prayer ~ adoration. When we praise God for who he is, and not only for what he does, we will draw closer to him.