I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand. He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh. Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Psalm 40:1-4 (WEB)
This world and its priorities are so distorted and confusing and yet it is the world that I must live in. And God is the only one who is able to successfully guide me through the maze.
The world says my success is measured by money; the accumulation of it and how I am able to use it with power to manipulate people and situations in my life. I can even hire lawyers to free me from poor choices and outright illegal acts! I can hire people to raise my children and send them to the best schools to learn right from wrong.
The world also says that success comes from within me. If I spend time thinking about myself and keep myself centered on what makes me feel good, what will move me ahead to achieve praise for me, and think well of myself then I will rise to the height of the expectations of they (whoever they are). I should rely only on myself.
It’s taken me more than a few years but I’ve figured out that I am not able to meet the expectations of this world. And so when this revelation came to me, I began looking for another answer. It took awhile but I chose God. (Actually, He had been looking for me and waiting for me to ‘come home’.)
Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,…                  Genesis 14:22 (WEB)
Choosing to put my trust in the One who created all that I know is the best place to put my #1 priority ‘chips’ in this game of life.
He has shown you, O man, what is good.
What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly,
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?    Micah 6:8 (WEB)
This is God’s way of measuring my success. God says that my power comes from my weakness and love and humble heart that gives all the praise for whatever good that I do – to Him.
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.â€Â          Matthew 22:37-39 (WEB)
With these two commands I have the benchmark for my life. I have the standard for every decision that I make. I have the focus for my life.
Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 (WEB)
I live as an alien in this world. I am not at home here. I may never be seen as a success in the eyes of this world. But I am a child of The King and He thinks I am awesome because I am His! His opinion is the only one that counts in my eternal life!
