Thankful, Day Ninety

Make a joyful shout to the LORD all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

and His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Do you ever have to remind yourself that you're not God? Or at the very least, that you're not God's chief, right-hand adviser and counselor? This morning in prayer, as I was petitioning God and making my requests known to Him, I caught myself telling--yes, telling--God what He needed to do. I actually said, "God , just _____________________." What I actually said is none of your business, but can you fill in the blank with anything you've ever told God to do.

And as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I was like, "Casey, who do you think you are? Where do you get off telling God what to do?" I immediately repented, of course. That's what you do when you step out of line. And I then took a moment to rephrase. Rather than telling God what He needed to do, I simply asked God to do what needed to be done. I didn't give Him specific instructions; I simply presented my need and asked Him to take care of it. And I'm sure He will, in His own time and in His own way. And then I started asking God for patience to wait for the answer.

To tell you the truth, I'm really glad I'm not God. I'd have wiped everybody out a long time ago, and THEN rested. And I'm usually glad God doesn't listen to me when I am presumptuous enough to tell Him what to do. Because I know that my ways are not His ways, and my thoughts aren't always the same as His. He sees the big picture, I see a tiny puzzle piece without the assistance of the box. He knows everything, and compared to Him I know next to nothing. And He can do immeasurably more than all I ask or think, and do it in an instant when I thought it would take eternity--if it could even be done.

I'm glad that He is God, that the LORD YHWH is God, and not some of these other fictions and figments and fables. When I read about the god or gods of other religions, who require so much and offer so little, who demand that I earn my own salvation with what I can give them, or that I pay for my own sins, I am so thankful that my God is the real God, the only God, the One True God. And that He is gracious and merciful, abounding in compassion, overflowing with love, longsuffering and always forgiving, and that He is mighty and able to save!

Thank you God for your patience with me, your longsuffering, even your compassionate and benevolent understanding. I'm only human, after all, made from the dust and going back to it. Lord please suffer a little longer with my ignorance and occasional stupidity, and help me to do what I'm supposed to do, rather than telling you what to do.

Thank you God for your love and goodwill, that you have my best interests at heart and that you are working all things out for my good. You work all things according to the counsel of your will; you can do everything, and none of your purposes are withheld from you. So please help me to get out of the way, stand back, and watch you do what you do best.

Thank you God for your plan and purpose for my life, which you continue to accomplish and fulfill as I continue to submit, surrender and rely upon you. You are my trust, my hope, my confidence. You have my faith Lord God, and I shall not be moved.