Everything God reveals about who he is in his Word isn’t only to be studied, acknowledged, nor even believed, but most fully delighted in. With God, the revelation is the invitation. He shows us who he is and invites us to come and enjoy him. Picture a father flexing for his kids. They can see his strength, believe it, and understand it, but he intends more than this. He kneels down and says, “Come get on my back.” He invites them not just to acknowledge but to enjoy his strength. God doesn’t reveal himself so we may merely nod our heads in agreement. When God reveals, page after page, the vast excellencies of his work and character, he is inviting us to come and enjoy. When he says he’s a refuge, we’re invited to come to him in our distress. When he says he hears our prayers, we’re invited to pour out our hearts. When he says he forgives, we’re invited to confess our sin and receive mercy. When he reveals himself as sovereign ruler, we’re invited to rest and trust. When he declares his infinite wisdom, we’re invited to be led with confidence. When he shows his unmatched power, we’re invited to ask him to intervene. Spurgeon put it like this, All the attributes of Christ, as God and man, are at our disposal. . . . The whole of Christ, in his adorable character as the Son of God, is by himself made over to us most richly to enjoy. His wisdom is our direction, his knowledge our instruction, his power our protection, his justice our surety, his love our comfort, his mercy our solace, and his immutability our trust. He makes no reserve, but opens the recesses of the Mount of God and bids us dig in its mines for the hidden treasures. “All, all, all are yours,” saith he, “be ye satisfied with favour and full of the goodness of the Lord.” These and a thousand other revelations are given that we would come and experience life connected to all that he is. This is his heart. He wants our deep, lasting, truest joy, so he gives us the best he could ever give—himself, life lived with him.

Want a joy that no one can take from you? “Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.” (John 16:22, CSB)

If you’re serving God’s people and growing weary, you need to know this: God sees, and he does not forget. Hebrews 6:10 connects our love for God with the ways we serve his people. It speaks of continuing to serve. That ongoing part can be hard. “For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.” (Hebrews 6:10, CSB) It’s one thing to have an emotional burst of concern. It’s another to keep showing up. You may not be recognized or thanked. You may never get a standing ovation. But the work and love you show are seen by God. You’re serving people he loves, for his name. We need to look again at the countless ways Jesus has served us. He gave his life for us. He was willing for his body to be broken and his blood to be shed so that we would have life. He served us in action, at great cost to himself. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45, CSB) He also continues to care for us. He gives us daily bread. The Holy Spirit helps us. God is working for our good in ways we cannot begin to fathom. None of us deserved his salvation or adoption into his family. He has served us graciously. Knowing that begins to free our hearts. We don’t have to cling so tightly to our rights, our stuff, or what another person might give us in return. We have received so much from him. “Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.” (1 John 3:18, CSB) Think of one person in your life. What would it look like to serve that person consistently, sacrificially, intentionally, and graciously? Look at how Jesus has served you. Then reflect what you’ve received.

Jesus forgives your sins to reconcile you to God and bring you near. Forgiveness brings us into fellowship with him. That’s why the Bible speaks of reconciliation and adoption. We get God. “But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13, CSB)

There's a lot I don't know, but...

There’s so much we can’t get, but we can always give. There’s so much we can’t obtain, but we can always pursue God. Pursuing his kingdom and being rich toward him is always available to us. “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21, CSB)

I need to have a garage sale right now!

Preach!

Paul: "Run in such a way to win the prize" Also Paul: "Watch out for the dogs" God has a race for you, but you will get bit.

Nothing better than knowing God. And there's always more of him to know.

This is what Christians have always believed - and fought for.

Amen!

Pray. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.  (John 16:24, CSB)

The good news means we can say 10/10. All Jesus.

Don't be effeminate and slothful; fight.

Why do I feel like I can’t take a break? There’s work underneath the work. Why am I working? What am I driven toward? Sometimes our restlessness comes from forgetting that we don’t have to earn God’s favor, salvation, or an identity. “For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:10, CSB)

Why choose the drop when you can have the fountain? “They are filled from the abundance of your house. You let them drink from your refreshing stream. For the wellspring of life is with you. By means of your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:8-9, CSB) Every good thing in our life is a gift from God. The things we enjoy really are good. I’m not saying to get rid of everything you have and just sit with your Bible. But every good gift is a reflection of the source. It is good because it comes from the One who is good. We can bring God our list of the things we think will finally make us happy: finances, family, marriage, children, health. If we don’t receive them, our hearts can grow cold. We feel he’s let us down. But what God gives us for our deepest joy is himself. There is no greater thing he could give. We know something of this in our relationships. At a wedding, the best gift the bride and groom give each other is the promise of themselves. A child can have every gift and privilege and still long for a real relationship with a parent. The best gifts are relationships. And God gives us himself. That helps us see the good news more clearly. Jesus died for our sins. But why did he die for our sins? So that we could be brought near to God. “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,” (1 Peter 3:18, CSB) Our sin separates us from him. Jesus gives his life so that we can be forgiven and reconciled, welcomed into his family. God wants us to enjoy all that he is. We can receive his good gifts with thankfulness, and we can come to the source of them all.

Hospitality takes initiative. Invite someone outside your normal circle to lunch, coffee, or time at the park. Don’t just wait to see if someone wants to be welcomed. Ask them. Bring them into your life. “Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.” (Romans 12:13, CSB)

Every good gift is another reason to turn toward the Giver. We can cultivate a relationship with God throughout the regular moments of our day: see the good he’s doing, thank him for it, and talk to him about it. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17, CSB)

We know droplets, but there’s more than an ocean of God’s love. Even the most basic truth we teach our children, “Jesus loves you,” has depths we will never reach the end of. “and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19, CSB)