Layers of Blessings

Layered lemon dessert.

Layered pudding delight with cherry sauce.

Layered chocolate anything! (Is your mouth watering yet?)

The thing about layered desserts is that, as the cook, you just keep piling on the goodies. God's promises are a little like that too. All last week I have been exploring the promises of His presence recorded for us in the scriptures. As I think about my response to these promises, the verse that suggests an appropriate response to the promises adds a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry!

Look at Psalm 95:2, it says, "Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song". Did you catch it? Not only does scripture promise us God's presence, it also invites us to come--to come intentionally--into His presence. Think of that! You're invited!

Of course, God is present everywhere, all the time. But He invites us to come into His presence on purpose, responding to His goodness in our lives, especially His goodness to us in Jesus, our Savior. We can come, as the psalm says, "with thanksgiving...with music and son."

What's behind this invitation? Does the God of the universe need our worship? Absolutely not! He invites us because we need to do it!

• As we worship, he reminds us of His forgiveness and His love for us.
• As we worship, He works His Word more deeply int o our hearts so that it can strengthen and encourage us.
• As we worship, He assures us that we're not alone. He's present with us--and we belong to His family.

God's promises are sure, no matter where we stand in history, no matter what our stage in life!