Thursday, June 16, 2011

I Love it in A B and C

I love when something is in a perfect outline. I make lists for my day that go like this:

A. Dishes
B. Clean fans
    a. kitchen
    b. living
    c. bedroom
    d. music room
C. Do laundry
     a. iron shorts
     b. iron blue skirt
D. Vacuum house
     a. get corners and edging
E. Dust bedroom 

It's strange. I can't just give myself an order but I have to break it down. I like clear, concise, direct, and as "ABC" as a list can get. Normally I do this just so I have more checked off, but it is also beneficial so I don't risk forgetting anything.

I am not the type of person who likes vague "maybe" or gray answers. I want the checklist of what I need to do. I feel the same way with God. Sometimes I would just like God to say "do this, do it this way, don't do this, and then you'll have it together!"

Is it just me, or does He not always answer that way? I try not to tell God how I want Him to answer, but discerning His voice is often difficult.

One of the verses that has always impacted me is 1 Timothy 2:8: "Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing."

Going to pray or being in worship during church are two of my favorite places to be. I love raising my hands, closing my eyes, and singing only to God. 

I love that our interaction with God is to be done with holy hands. But then, of course, the outline part of my spirit cries, "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??? WHAT IS HOLY????"

As I lay in bed reading two nights ago, I read this passage from Psalms and it was so concise that I was instantly intrigued.

Psalm 15
 1 LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?    Who may live on your holy mountain?
 2 The one whose walk is blameless,
   who does what is righteous,
   who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
   who does no wrong to a neighbor,
   and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
   but honors those who fear the LORD;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
   and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
   who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
   Whoever does these things
   will never be shaken.

In my footnotes it was explained that this was the list of requirements for entering into the holy place to be before God. This was the list of "ABC's" that was to be met in order to lift holy hands in prayer.

THAT'S IT!!!

God gave me the outline of holiness that He requires to enter into prayer and worship. So what's it going to take to accomplish the list?

Read the passage again slowly. Does anything jump out to you? Are there areas that need to be corrected before you can come before the presence of God?

Can you lift holy hands?

I think I've got work to do......

Sarah


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