SELF-CENTERED OR GOD-CENTERED?

Today, two paths of my reading intersected, and I thought I would share it with you. I’ve been reading a book called, “Dug Down Deep,” by Joshua Harris. He grew up in the church, but had little interest in God for quite some time. This book shares how God changed his course and how theology (the study of God) became very important to him (he became a pastor, by the way). As he shares his love of God, he notes, “What makes it difficult for us to see the truth about God, I think, isn’t his overwhelming immensity but our overwhelming self-centeredness. Looking past ourselves is a lot harder to do than most of us realize.” (39) Keep that in mind, as we consider the second path…

My devotions for today were Psalm 67 and 68. The beginning of Psalm 67 struck me:

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, (Selah) that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! (Psalm 67:1-3 ESV)

This allusion to Numbers 6:24-25 is an encouraging one, isn’t it? We all long for God’s blessing. But, let’s face it, when we think of God’s blessing, it tends to be self-centered … we think of how His blessing benefits us, which it surely does. Perhaps that is part of what Joshua Harris was getting at.

Now, take another look at that passage from Psalm again, but focus on the part after the “Selah.” When you read the passage the first time, did you focus on the first part? I suspect many did. But, now, where do you think the focus is meant to be? The call for blessing is not the end of the matter. Rather it’s the means to the end, which is that God’s way and saving power might be known among all nations and that all the peoples would praise Him. Think on that … God’s blessing is not primarily for our benefit, it’s for His glory.

It’s easy to slip into a self-centered mindset, isn’t it? Let’s guard against that, and be radically God-centered people. May He be glorified in and through us!

In His grip,
Pastor Decker