When we wake every morning, is it with a heart that longs to seek
after God’s Will, or with an attitude that we merely TRY not to break
His Laws? The American Heritage Dictionary states: “Observe
stresses compliance or respectful adherence to that which is
prescribed…” and “Celebrate emphasizes observance in the form of
rejoicing or festivity…”
As growing and persevering Christians we
are required to observe God’s Laws and His Way of Life. But what
has the day-to-day “grind” of continued observance done to our
hearts? Does the “first love” attitude still resound in it?
Or have we become so battle-hardened through years of enduring, that we
no longer see the joy that this way of life brings?
We live in an
age in which our lifestyle is becoming more and more disliked.
It’s easy to quietly endure, show few outward signs and hope no one
notices our unpopular beliefs. But in trying to stay a “quiet
Christian,” are we still reflecting the attitude of the Being we
profess to follow?
Christ said of King David that he was
a “man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). One such example of this
attitude occurred when David returned to Jerusalem with the Ark of the
Covenant: “… And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David,
and said, ‘How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering
himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the
base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!’ So David said to
Michal, ‘It was before the LORD…. Therefore I will play music before
the LORD. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be
humble in my own sight…'” (2 Samuel 6:20-22).
David’s response,
when confronted with negative views of what he was doing, wasn’t to
quietly hide himself away. On the CONTRARY! He said he
would celebrate even more.
Likewise, we must strive to celebrate
this way of life more so, as the world around us darkens to God’s
truth. When confronted with embarrassment because we stand out
from the crowd, we must know that God isn’t embarrassed. God isn’t
viewing us with disdain because of our perceived archaic beliefs.
In fact, He might just be saying to you and me: “YOU are a person after
My own heart!”
