My Day Before God
Basilea Schlink encourages listeners to experience God's presence in their daily lives by living in gratitude, humility, and dependence on His love and goodness.
In this sermon, the speaker begins by acknowledging the tendency to complain and grumble about people and circumstances. They emphasize the importance of refraining from complaining and instead responding with gratitude and thanksgiving. The speaker encourages listeners to see every day as an opportunity to show love and gratitude to God as their Father. They also emphasize the need to recognize that all good gifts come from God's mercy and grace, and to cultivate a deeper relationship with Him through thanksgiving. The sermon concludes with a prayer for God's guidance and the desire to enter into a richer fellowship with Him.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today. That should be the happy experience of your life, too. Not just some time, some day.
No, it can and should be your experience today. Listen to today's meditation by Basilia Schlink called, My Day Before God. Perhaps you still have a whole day ahead of you, or perhaps you're already busily at work.
But wherever you are, whatever you're doing at the moment, however you feel, try for a minute to become very quiet. Fix in your heart on God alone, your Father. And let's pray together.
My Father, I thank you that you've given me another day. I know that you have thoughts of love and goodness for me today, because you're my Father and I'm your child. O Lord, please give me eyes to see your hand at work today, to do me good through the love and kindness of other people, through their taking care of me, through help, joy, and all the good things for body, soul, and spirit.
Let me be a grateful child today, really thanking you, my Father, for the smallest tokens of your love. Grant that through thanksgiving I might recognize your love more and more, and enter into deeper and richer fellowship of child to father. Don't let me take your good gifts for granted today.
Guard me from viewing and taking advantage of all your grace out of self-pride and haughtiness. Lord, free me from the sin of pride which makes me so blind. Give me the light to see that I'm your creation, totally dependent upon your grace, and furthermore a sinner who's lost every right to your love and goodness.
Yes, Lord, help me to always remember that every good gift comes only out of your mercy and grace. Dear Lord, I want to promise you that I won't complain today about anything, for when I start to make accusations against people and circumstances, I'm really accusing you. Cover my lips with the power of Jesus' blood so that I don't sin by complaining or grumbling.
Rather, let me answer as a repentant sinner ought to by giving the right response to everything you bring to me today, saying, thank you, and again, thank you. Please grant me the grace to be able to give thanks even for the chastenings and difficulties. Help me to remember that suffering brings the greatest blessing and that affliction gives birth to glory.
And so let this day become a day of thanksgiving in which I can show my true childlike love for you as my Father. And so let this day be a day of joy for you, a day in which my gratitude may rejoice your heart so that your pleasure may rest upon me as your creation and your child. Heavenly Father, I am thy child.
Is there better to be found as such loving union? Oh, how blessed to be with thee, day and night secure to be by thy love surrounded. Heavenly Father, I am thy child. Tell me, is there anything in the world more blessed? How can trouble, hurt, or harm while I rest within God's arm? God esteems me precious.
This program by Basilea Schlenk has come to you from the little land of Canaan. If you would like a free leaflet by the same author, please write to God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099. That's God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099.
God bless you.
Sermon Outline
- Introduction to the concept of living in the presence of God
- Prayer and gratitude
- Overcoming pride and sin
- Responding to challenges with thanksgiving
- Conclusion and encouragement
- Embracing our identity as God's children
- Experiencing peace and security in God's love
Key Quotes
“God esteems me precious.” — Basilea Schlink
“Is there better to be found as such loving union?” — Basilea Schlink
“How can trouble, hurt, or harm while I rest within God's arm?” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- Make a conscious effort to express gratitude for God's love and goodness in your life.
- Recognize your dependence on God's grace and avoid taking His gifts for granted.
- Respond to challenges with thanksgiving and find joy and blessing in suffering.