Smitten, Valentine’s Day & the Glory of God!
I ran across a word this morning in my quiet time, penned by A.W. Tozer.
It was a word that stopped me dead in my tracks and forced me to my knees in worship.
The word?
God-smitten
The quote?
“The God-smitten are those who have heard the Voice speaking within them and have caught a glimpse, however fleeting, of the glory of God.”
Today, being Valentine’s day, it’s easy to think of all the ways we’ve been smitten with our spouse, but what about with God?
As I pondered the word “smitten” I found it defined in dictionary.com as “very much in love” enamored or infatuated, with antonyms listed as indifferent, apathetic, callous, aloof, passionless, detached, and unresponsive.
My plea became, O God, may I ever be hearing Your Voice within me and never drift into indifference and unresponsiveness, that I might continuously catch a glimpse of Your glory!
As my eyes drifted across my journal pages from earlier in my quiet time today, I found the connecting verse that enables me to stay God-smitten.
Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me, and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24.
As I compared translations, I found that “offensive way” in this verse is also described as:
ESV grevious way
NASB2020 hurtful way
AMPC wicked way
CEB idolatrous way
CEV evil ways
ERV wrong way
MEV rebellious way
Just the other day I had to repent of my impatience as I struggled with a family member’s response to a challenge. God has been so patient with me, why would I not be patient with others? This was hurtful toward those I love and needed to be repented for.
I believe the key to staying God-smitten is continuously allowing God to search us and convict us by the power of the Holy Spirit, pointing out any way in us that is offensive to Him. Oh, that we might recognize our rebellious, idolatrous, and hurtful ways with godly sorrow so that we might fall very much in love with Jesus once again.
So how about you? Are you God-smitten? Why or why not? I’d love to hear!
Thanks for spending time with me today!
Athena
Welcome, I'm Athena!
I start each day by tithing the first hour to the Lord in prayer, reading the word, doing word studies of the Text, and asking God how I can live out what I am reading. This time is usually met with meditation on devotionals that are usually written by dead guys like Oswald Chambers, CS Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, AW Tozer, and Andrew Murray.
Right now, I’m reading a daily devotional with a friend called Tozer on the Almighty God for my focus for the day. It's fun to see individually what pulls us in to spur one another on to good deeds!
The Bible is filled with action steps to walk out in practical and intentional ways. This sets my day in motion to walk it out! I hope this is your heart, too.
Consider this a personal invitation to join me in this journey!
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