Enjoying God or His Blessings?

"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 30:11-12

As I knelt before God this morning I had a new thought - one I've bumped up against many times before, but it came through with such clarity this morning. I asked this question of myself:

What do I enjoy more? God or the blessings of God.

I come before Him with adoration, thanksgiving, praise, petition...all the things I place before Him as I have come to trust His character and ability to be God-sovereign.

I have enjoyed:

* the comfort of knowing I belong to Him

* the promise that He will provide

* the hope that He has overcome the world

* the fellowship of believers

These enjoyments - they line up more squarely with enjoying his blessings than simply enjoying Him. I wrote in my journal during the sermon on Sunday, "Why don't I sit, quietly and frequently, simply to tell God how amazing he is?" I'm grateful for the journey I've been on since I began following Christ. Like a child I'm also grateful to look back and see how I'm growing up. Like a wife I'm grateful to look back over the many years and cherish what it means to learn to love my husband. Today was a new day for me, in that I think I mean it more than ever before when I say - God alone is enough. He is enough for better and for worse. For richer and for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish. I pledge Him my faith.

"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

BTW - I received an email today from the pastor who's leading the Israel/Palestine mission trip. He was letting me know that someone had sent a check for the entire cost of the trip for me. Funding this trip was my one place of fear that threatened to keep me from stepping into God's plan for me right now. And it is the fear that I continually claimed God's power and strength over. I knew when I said yes it would take what only God could do to fund the trip. His faithfulness is amazing. The obedience of whoever sent that check is amazing.

I am grateful for the new places to go in my relationship with God. I hope I don't waste one minute of this lifetime that I could be learning more about him, following him more closely, and loving him better.

"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things." Ephesians 3:8

Enjoy God.

Love you, Favored One