No Need To Settle

Year 6-Day 49: Today, I am grateful we have no need to settle for less than His best.

What does it really mean to not settle for less than God's best in our lives? 

"Refuse to be content with just the knowledge of God, but insist on experiencing His presence."  
-Kerri Weems

"Insist on experiencing His presence." 
Kerri Weems is the author of the book "Rhythms Of Grace". I have not read it, but this quote makes me think it might have some beautiful gems inside. 

The quote took my heart to the passage that reminds us that God is not impressed simply by the fact we believe in him. He is not impressed by our ability to "be good". He never intended for us to struggle with doing the right thing or choosing the right path. I wanted the intimacy between us to be so important that we would naturally choose His way. Being His child means that good works will flow from a heart in sync with His heart. When we are seeking and chasing his heart, good behavior is a by-product. This has been debated across thousands of years, but the God never changes. Look at His Word: 

"Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God (God is one.). Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?-James 2:18-20 (ESV)

Knowing God exists is one of the first faith decisions we must make. We must first believe, but that takes us into the same knowledge category as the demons who shudder at that truth. I don't know about you, but that is not the company I want to keep. Believing is not enough. We must repent and receive.  

Many believe in God, but it isn't enough. Jesus came to restore the relationship broken by Adam and Eve's sin consequence. He came that ALL might have the opportunity to believe and receive. Yes, all. 

He came for Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews). "Red and yellow, black and white all are precious in His sight," as the old Bible song goes. Brown, tan, green, pink and peach colored, too. All of us. Jesus speaks to that truth over and over. So many times . His disciples then carried that message into future generations so that we, too,  might be believe, repent and saved. 

Jesus came to rock our the world, redefining what it meant to be sons and daughters of the living, present, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful God. His left his Holy Spirit, who guides and directs us daily when we invite him into our lives. We must listen for the whispers and the nudges.

Just a quick scripture review. I had a plan but the boss of me added a few more.(wink)

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him." Romans 10:12

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." -Romans 8:14

"But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." - Galatians 5:18

Hang with me. Just two more:
"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." -Romans 10:8-10 (NLT)

That is a whole bunch of scripture, but it all points to the same thing. Knowledge is not enough. We must insist on experiencing His presence. I loved this next passage from the Names of God translation. It uses Jesus name in Hebrew... Yeshua. What a beautiful name it is in Hebrew, too. It feels warm, yet reverent rolling off the tongue. Last one:

"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love which Christ Yeshua our Lord shows us. We can’t be separated by death or life, by angels or rulers, by anything in the present or anything in the future, by forces or powers in the world above or in the world below, or by anything else in creation." -Romans 8:38-39 (Names of God Bible) 

So many passages, but they work together for our understanding. We don't have to settle. He designed us for relationship with him and he longs for us to return to that intimacy before sin entered into the world. Best friends, not "I know who He is" or casual Sunday morning acquaintances. We can experience His presence. 

Why would we settle for anything less than His best? 

Today, I am grateful we have no need to settle for less than His best.