Title: Those Recognized by God / Genesis 15:1~11
When my kids were in kindergarten, I was often told, "My dad is the best." But these days I can't hear it. Many people will relate to how it feels when a child acknowledges that you are the best. It feels so good to be recognized by a child, but how happy would it be to be recognized by many people around you?
Alcoholics, who are always drunk, say that their disapproval eventually leads to these diseases. When he gets drunk, he reveals his past and tells the story of his recognized past. Adolescent suicides occur, and the cause of suicide is that they are not recognized by school, parents, or friends.
So, the research results show that if you frequently say words of approval when raising a child, the child will grow up with confidence. Towards a child who was born, whether understood or not, "I am glad that you were born. I welcome you into our home. I like you." When your child is a little older, say, "Yeah, I really like your idea. You should try it. Mom and Dad will help you." Growing up in adolescence, "Then you need a family, but you also need friends. You're a person who will do big things in the future." Children who grow up receiving recognition from their home in this way can lead successful lives with confidence.
These days are called the era of certifications. What is a certification? After all, isn't it a certification that recognizes your ability?
However, there is something we need to think about first. It is important to have the necessary qualifications to live in this world, to have a driver's license, to be recognized by many people and to lead a successful life, but first, we must become "people recognized by God."
When Samuel grew up, he was recognized by God before being recognized by men. And it was recognized by people. But today, many people put aside the approval of God and try to be accepted by people first. Sometimes we think that the reason we need God is as a tool to be recognized by people. A spiritual person must first be approved by God.
Abraham, who appears in the text, is a man approved by God. However, when God recognizes people, the outward appearance is not the standard. When Samuel was choosing a king from among the eight sons of Jesse, he saw Eliab the eldest. His appearance was so good that Samuel thought he would definitely choose Eliab as king. But God tells Samuel, "Do not look at his countenance or stature; I have forsaken him. I do not look like a man. A man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." When God approves, He does not judge us by our outward appearance. God sees our heart and acknowledges it.
Jesus did not recognize the Pharisees and Sadducees who seemed holy on the outside. Rather, he acknowledged people who made many mistakes and had many problems from an external point of view. So is Abraham. Abraham was a man who made a mistake in getting recognized. But God recognized Abraham. What did you get recognized for? It was because of Abraham's faith. “Abraham believed in the Lord, and the Lord counted it as his righteousness,” it says. He acknowledged Abraham because of his faith in God. He didn't even acknowledge him because of his looks. Nor was it acknowledged for his good deeds. There was only one thing Abraham acknowledged because he relied on God.
When Jesus healed many sick people, he saw their faith and healed them. Thousands of people gathered while preaching in Capernaum. Friends came to Jesus carrying a paralytic patient. There were a lot of people, so a hole was drilled in the roof and the patient was put down in front of Jesus. Jesus saw "our faith" and healed the patient.
The children came to Jesus. The disciples chased after it because it was bothersome. However, while holding the children in his arms, Jesus said that only children like children can enter the kingdom of heaven. What is a child's mind? There is a trust in children that is completely dependent on them. The Lord approves of faith that depends like a child.
Bartimaeus, a blind man who cannot see in Jericho, who also lives as a beggar, shouts at Jesus. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me,” he shouts. Disciples tell them to be quiet. He is blind in the eyes of his disciples, and how can a beggar meet the Lord? Thought. But Jesus went to him and healed him. "Jesus said to him, Go, your faith has saved you." Jesus acknowledged Bartimaeus, who prayed in faith.
So, what exactly do you believe? Faith is "to rely on and to entrust". When Abraham was leading from Ur of the Chaldeans, he did not know where he was going, but trusted in his way and left.
There was a man in the circus who was very good at tightrope walking. A lot of people cheer when they cross the line. After successfully completing the tightrope, this man asks the crowd: "Everyone, I'm going to do tightrope again, do you think I'm going to fall? Do you think I'll be safe? Everyone was waving and cheering, saying, "You never fall. You're so good you'll get on the line safely." The tightrope walker asked again. “Then, I will get on the rope with one of you on my back, and whoever crosses the rope with me, raise your hand.” Then the enthusiastic atmosphere suddenly quieted down. No one raised their hand, and no one stepped forward.
After reading this article, I wonder if our beliefs are not like this. They say that I depend on the Lord and live with the Lord, but how much do I really depend on the Lord? It is as if many people say that they trust people who walk tightrope, but we are the same as those who cannot entrust themselves with their bodies.
Faith is completely surrendering everything to me. Of course, Abraham had a crisis in which his faith was shaken, but in the end he was recognized by God through his willing heart. Are you approved by God now? What do you want to be recognized for? God accepts us through trusting and trusting us.
Of course, a tightrope walker is a weak person who can make mistakes and fall, but the object we trust and rely on is the Almighty God who created the entire universe and the Father who loves me very much. Let's rely on our Almighty Heavenly Father. And when we entrust it, we believe that God will recognize us.
One day an old man came to visit. The old man took the housekeeper very seriously
What the Lord wants is a heart that truly trusts in God. Gideon went to war with the Midianites. They recruited soldiers to go to war against the Midianites, but more than 30,000 came. The Lord did not want so many people. Those who were afraid were made to go home, but there were ten thousand left. God forbade all of these people to go to war. In the end, he went to the shore and chose three hundred men to fight against the Midianites. He didn't want ten thousand men to go out and win. He wanted three hundred soldiers who were completely dependent on God. He gave victory through three hundred people who depended on God.
We must be accepted by God. That is, God acknowledges us when our heart truly trusts and entrusts us to the Lord.
Then, what happens when we are accepted by God like this? The text clearly states two things. "I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." When we are accepted by God, the Lord becomes our shield. Be our protector. Do you have a shield in your life? What will be the shield of your life? The Lord is our shield. Be our protector. I hope you find the peace that the Lord gives you.
Jacob fled from his brother and headed from Beersheba to Haran. With a stone as a pillow and the sky as a blanket, he slept in a miserable condition. How anxious are you? He had no idea when he would return to his homeland. God said to Jacob, "I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land." God promised to be Jacob's shield and Jacob's protector.
Second, being approved by God becomes a source of blessing through you. be the seeds of good fortune. It becomes the seed that sows blessings. Where you sow, you will reap If you sow beans, you will reap beans; if you plant red beans, you will reap beans. What are you sowing for future generations? Shouldn't we sow many good seeds now so that our beloved children can reap the fruit of blessing?
Trusting in God is like sowing seeds of blessing for future generations. Abraham raised a family of faith because of his faith in God. My life of faith does not end in my own time. If I have been approved by God for my sincere faith, I am sure to plant seeds of blessing for my children.
Dear saint! Become a person who is accepted by God. Let's be recognized through faith. We want God's protection and the blessing of raising a family of faith through me.