Why do we settled for Less

Psalm 71:17-24

“God, You, have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim Your wonderful works.  Even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me. Then I will proclaim Your power to another generation, Your, strength to all who are to come.  Your righteousness reaches heaven, God, You, who have done great things; God, who is like You?  You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes, but You will revive me again.  You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth.  You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.  Therefore, I will praise You with a harp for Your faithfulness, my God; I will sing to You with a lyre, Holy One of Israel.  My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You because You have redeemed me.  Therefore, my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm will be disgraced and confounded.”

David and I can thank God that He gave us parents that read the Scriptures to us and taught us to worship.  Though my story, as well as your, will be different from anyone else.  My mother faced some big challenges having me, she was not healthy while she was pregnant with me and ended up having a nervous breakdown.  She had two children and a husband to care for, and the doctors told her that if she did not abort me one or both would not leave the hospital.  That did something to Mom, and when I was a small child, she often made it clear I was not wanted and many other things a small child could not understand.  

Let me be clear, she got better and was a good mother and loved her three children, her husband, and her Lord.  She was a wonderful grandmother, but it set me up to believe I was not loved or wanted, and for many years the enemy used this in my life. 

I often wonder why I settled for being a Baptist without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.   The answer is, I was very foolish believing I must experience what the world had to offer before letting Christ have authority.  I can tell you, and I now wish I had known the joy of having Christ in my life as a small child and learned to trust Him with everything.  My witness is the same as David, Christ is my Redeemer, and I love to give Him praise!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice