Everyone enjoys the attention of their loved ones. Spending time with those who love us is satisfying and up-lifting.
As many of us have witnessed, children love the attention of their parents. It is a very natural desire to want the attention of those we love and of those who love us. It is wonderful to receive the love and attention of our loved ones.
Knowing the love of Yahuwah [the LORD God] is a wonderful thing too! It is awesome to know that the Creator of the Universe loves us, abundantly and personally! He is very attentive to us, more than we realize. This makes me want to get to know Him too, more and better.
But sometimes, if you’re like me, I desire to gain Yahuwah’s attention. Why? Because I want to do what pleases Him, and bring delight to Him. I’ve learned that keeping a ‘clean heart and a right spirit’ is important to Him. This is a way to maintain our closeness to Him, and thereby not grieve the Holy Spirit.
When we maintain our closeness with Yahuwah, we are more inclined to be praying according to His will. He promises to hear and answer our prayers when we are praying according to His will (1John 5:14, 15)!
Perhaps you have wondered how to obtain Abba Father’s attention.
As this verse shows us, it is faith that pleases Father! Just the fact that we believe He is there, pleases Him! It pleases Him so much that He rewards us for seeking Him!
And, with a heart of faith to love Yahuwah and follow Him, then He will move on our behalf to show Himself strong for us (2Chronicles 16:9). Oh how He loves us!
Our own abilities or talents or strengths are not impressive to Yahuwah. These things are fine, in themselves, but they do not impress Him. What gives Yahuwah pleasure are those who fear Him, trust in Him, and hope in His mercy (Psalms 147:10); those who seek to learn of Him, to be like Him (Matt. 11:28-30; 1John 2:5,6).
There it is — the three criteria for gaining Father’s attention!
Each one of these characteristics are generally standard traits that begin to grow in the children of Yahuwah. These are the qualities Yahuwah looks for in His children who are walking by faith, looking to Him for guidance and strength. These are the qualities that obtain Father’s attention.
Let’s consider these three qualities. If we are lacking in these qualities, we can cultivate them by Father’s grace. These three qualities are not difficult to acquire because Yahuwah hears and answers the prayers of His humble children (Psalms 66:19; 138:3). If we desire humility we can ask for it! This first quality ought to naturally lead the way to the other qualities.
I have discussed this characteristic of a ‘humble spirit’ in many posts. If you would like some insight on having a humble spirit, here are two posts that might help: Entering the Kingdom: Step 2 and How Can I Satisfy My Thirsty Soul?
Being of a humble spirit ought to be an on-going quality of the children of Yahuwah. Yet keeping a humble heart is often a battle. We are very inclined to let our prideful, hard-hearted nature rear-up its ugly head. But it is important that we seek to have a humble spirit in order to strip away our selfishness and pride! Humility crushes that hard, selfish nature, and helps us to be patient and of a ‘right spirit’ before Abba Father.
For me, I have found it very helpful to ask Father daily to help me be of a humble spirit, to give me a united heart [singleness of heart] to fear His name, and make me to be of a soft and tender heart.
Having a ‘contrite spirit’, or sorrowful spirit, is a description of a truly repentant, remorseful heart. Having a repentant heart, as many of us know, is a requirement to knowing Yahuwah’s salvation through His Son, Yahushua Messiah [Jesus Christ]. The soft, repentant, sorrowful heart is necessary in order to be Born-Again.
As well as having an on-going humble spirit, children of Yahuwah need to maintain an on-going contrite spirit! An on-going contrite spirit is evident in one who is sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s nudges and is quick to repent of sins daily. Having a contrite spirit helps us to be sensitive to ‘search and try our ways’ regularly in order to remain close to Father (Lamentations 3:40).
A contrite spirit is a treasured quality and should be nurtured and cherished. Let us be careful to not violate that tender place within us. It is an on-going contrite spirit that will help us to be quick to forgive, and not hold a grudge or become bitter. Being of a contrite spirit is a natural outcome of a humble and tender-hearted spirit.
This characteristic of ‘trembling at Yah’s Word’ is the third criteria needed for gaining Abba Father’s attention. Trembling at His Word means we will be very attentive to studying and learning His Word. It means we will have a holy reverence for Yahuwah’s Word, and we will receive it as it is — not as the words of men, but as the Word of the Living God.
Trembling at His Word means we will be very diligent to learn to discern between what Yahuwah has said in the Scriptures, and what are men’s twisted teachings of the Scriptures. Trembling at His Word means that we love the Truth of the Scriptures. This can be seen when we earnestly desire to study the Scriptures ourselves, to see for ourselves what the Scriptures are actually saying — and then make changes in our lifestyle and practices, to bring ourselves into obedience to what it says.
By trembling at Yah’s Word, we will be exercising our perceptions and thoughts over the Word of Yahuwah, seeking to preserve our obedience to His Words. Thus we will be learning how to discern between the good Word of the Scriptures, and the corrupt words of men’s twisted teachings.
When we have this precious heart-attitude of ‘trembling at Yah’s Word,’ we will be quick to make the necessary adjustments in our lives so that we will come more and more into obedience with His Word.
Walking with Abba Father is not a motionless condition. We ought to be growing and making adjustments in our lives periodically, as the Holy Spirit is guiding us into all truth. If we are not allowing Father’s Word to work changes into our behaviour then we ought to have a concern for this. A static condition is evidence of someone who is not trembling at Yah’s Word, but who is instead turning away from His Word.
It is these qualities that make Yahuwah turn and look at us.
These qualities in us, will gain His attention!
Teaching Video (1½ hr): Water the Dry Ground of Your Heart With the Rain of the Spirit!