Embracing Trust by Joanna WeaverSample

“Think Magnificently of God”

When Samuel was sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next ruler of Israel, God confirmed that David—though the youngest of the sons—was “the one” (see 1 Samuel 16).

What set David apart from older, more capable men? In Acts 13:22, God reveals the reason: “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.”

Oh, how I want God to be able to say that of me! I want to be known as a woman who knows God so intimately that she obeys Him implicitly—a woman after God’s own heart.

Having a heart like that requires we lay down our understanding and trust God to define everything that touches our lives—including our view of Him. Because until we come to know the Lord intimately and view life through the lens of who He is, we won’t have the proper perspective on what happens to us, nor will we fully comprehend the depth of His love.

I love the advice given by the sixth-century bishop Paternus:

Think magnificently of God. Magnify His providence: adore His power; frequent His service; and pray to Him frequently and incessantly. Bear Him always in your mind; teach your thoughts to reverence Him in every place, for there is no place where He is not ... fear and worship, and love God; first, and last, think magnificently of God.

Let God out of the box of your small thinking; our view of God determines our level of trust. If we remain ignorant of God’s character and purposes on earth, we’ll constantly mislabel His work and question His motives. We’ll live life looking through the wrong end of a telescope. God will appear tiny, and our problems will appear huge.

When we “think magnificently” about God, the Holy Spirit flips the telescope, so we see God correctly. Our problems shrink to their proper proportions. For in the light of His love, we view life—and ourselves—through the right lens.

Consider something you are worried about today. What does your fear or anxiety suggest about your view of God? How would a more “magnificent” view of God bring you peace?