I want to leave behind the distractions and worship god..join me?

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "Who is, who was, and who is to come- the Almighty." Revelation 1:8

Let's focus on God this month!

I know, it’s the Christmas season. So, we should already be doing that, right? I don’t know about you, but December can be the least worshipful month for me. There are just so many distractions ordinarily at this time of year. And though our distractions may look differently than other years, we certainly all have a lot on our plates. For some of us, we wonder where the money for gifts will come from, others of us feel lonely and discouraged, and all of us are making difficult decisions about how to best care for our loved ones or ourselves while still having some sort of celebration. With so much on our minds, it’s no wonder we lose focus.

That’s why I am so excited about this verse!

I am convinced if we really dwell on it, and memorize it, we're going to learn amazing things about God that are going to give us life and joy and lead our hearts to worship him! I want more than anything to worship God this month, don’t you? Don’t you want the kind of peace that transcends your circumstances? Don’t you want to find thankfulness in your heart to God? Don’t you want to love God with abandon? I do! But I must confess, I’m not there yet. I want it so badly though. I have been there before, and I am not stopping until I get there again!

Join me?

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So, let’s just take a quick look at what’s so powerful about this verse.

I trust when you see what I'm seeing, you'll start to catch a glimpse of why this verse is so foundational. First off, God himself, the God of the universe, is speaking to us, personally. He’s telling us, straight from his own lips, about who he is. This means that he wants us, his people, to know him! And, here’s what he tells us: He is the Beginning ("Alpha") and the End ("Omega"), the one who created and holds together all things. He is the “Lord God”, or the Master of all of creation. And, he is the God who is, was, and will be. He sees all things past, present, and future equally vividly, because he himself is eternal. And, he doesn't just look on helplessly from that forever-vantage-point. No way! He is "THE Almighty", tho only one powerful enough to enact his good will for all people, for all time. WHEW! This is our creative, in-control, involved, eternal God!

So, here are my personal take-aways:

-In this time when everything is so crazy and feels out of control, God is in control.

-When I'm tempted to wonder where God is, I can be certain that he is intimately near in his Word.

-When I feel weak, he is ALL-mighty!

-When I feel stuck someplace in the middle, I can be at peace knowing that God has the beginning, middle, and the end all worked out.

I hope as we continue to consider our amazing God this month, that we would not just do so intellectually. I want these truths to work their way down deep into us and fuel our souls. My prayer is that they'd give us hope when we feel hopeless, peace in the unknown, and strength in our weakness. But, most of all, I pray for worshipful hearts filled with the love of God.

Thanks for reading,