Hide and Seek…

Hide and seek an all time favorite game for kids.  I remember some of the best games of hide and seek were just as the darkness started to roll in. Now matter how brisk, how cold, frozen fingertips, toes, and nose we’d be out until it was pitch dark.  It was always more fun to playing in the dark.  Many more places to hide and a greater challenge for the seeker.  These days the kids don’t play hide and seek anymore well it’s the same game, with a more modern name, Manhunt.  There are some variations either way it’s still more fun played in the dark. 

As adults most likely were not still running around in the dark playing hide and seek, I mean manhunt, well maybe sometimes if we are invited to participate with some kids. 

However the thought comes to mind are we still playing “manhunt” with God? You know we run and hide and God seeks.  After all it started in the Garden of Eden, right?   Adam and Eve sinned and then hid when they heard God coming. 

⁸ And they (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8, ESV).

Sin has a way of doing that, causing us to hide from God and might I say others as well.  Truth is we can’t hide from God, He knows exactly where we are, everything we have done, and everything we will do.

¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹ But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God” (John 3:19-21, ESV).

Ironically enough we avoid the light for fear of being exposed.  In all seriousness who wants to be found out?  No one wants to feel shame and have fear of condemnation from others.  However, Jesus shines the light so we don’t have to live in shame or fear.  He shines the light to bring truth and conviction that leads to repentance.  That is the evidence seen of His works being carried out. 

I guess we could say He is on a manhunt!  Is He shining light in any areas of your life?

Prayer:

Oh Lord, You know all things.  And as much as we may think we can hide from you we can’t.  Thank you Lord you did not come to condemn, but rather bring salvation to those who believe.  And so Lord I pray you bring light, bring truth into our lives.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Find Another Well…

I am continually amazed how God repeatedly brings the same scriptures back to mind throughout different times in my life.  Often they are scriptures that have spoken to me deeply or something I could relate during that time.  Lately He had been leading me back to John 4 where the Samaritan women met Jesus at the well.  I am quite familiar with the passage.  It was there she had a divine appointment with Jesus.  I know this is where she meets Jesus and realizes He is the one who quenches the thirsts and desires of life. 

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”  (John 4:13-14, ESV).

I know this is where Jesus draws her confession right out of her. 

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”  The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’;  for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true” (John 4:16-18, ESV).

It ‘s here she realizes He is the Messiah. 

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”  Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he”  (John 4:25-26).

And she no longer hides from people, instead goes right into town telling everyone.

So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people,  “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”  They went out of the town and were coming to him (John 4:28-30,ESV).

I’ve learned in my own life He still does the same things today.   Jesus has divine appointments with us.  Seeking the world to quench any thirsts will never satisfy.  Jesus confronts sin and He draws confession to the surface.  When a true encounter with Jesus happens there is freedom. 

Again I know the passage, so why the nudging?  The phrase, find another well! 

Please don’t misunderstand Jesus is the spring of water welling to eternal life, the one and only true well of living water.  But in this example the woman meet Him at the well.  Today’s focus is the meeting place.  I find myself going back to some of the same old habits and patterns in life, expecting Him to meet me where He has already met me, where I have already passed. 

Change!  As I have walked this journey with Him things are changing.  Yet I’ve been expecting Him to meet me at the same old well, in some of the same ways.   As the journey continues along the path it may lead us to find another well, meeting and encountering Jesus in different ways than we have in the past. 

Prayer:

Lord, Praise you, you are the spring of living water.  Praise for eternal life in you Jesus and you alone.  You continue to meet with us, to reveal yourself to us no matter where we are on our journey.  I pray Lord as we continue to walk with you may we embrace where we have met you in the past and seek where you will meet us today.   Thank you Jesus!

No Longer Swayed…

Verse:

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). 

Personal Thought:

These words penned by the Apostle Paul written to the churches of Galatia. Previously Saul of Tarsus, the man who persecuted Christians.  In Philippians 3 he says,

⁴ though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else 

thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised 

on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew 

of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; 

as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

He had every reason to be confident in the flesh, basically he was the man!  Until one day on his way to Damascus Jesus intersects his life and literally knocks him to the ground (Acts 9:4).  Nothing like an amazing encounter with Jesus to set you free!  Interestingly enough he is writing to his own sect of men.  The Jewish Christians were imposing the Mosaic Law onto the Gentile Christians he was called to preach to.  Paul knowing fully the grace of God and salvation through Jesus Christ, would not tolerant anyone distorting the gospel.  It didn’t matter who it was.  And he knew being a servant of Christ doesn’t always please others.  No matter what he would not be swayed. 

Honestly I found myself the complete opposite.  Absolutely zero confidence in my own flesh.  Far too often I’ve made decisions in fear of what others thought of me, of not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings, or worry I might offend them.  Needless to say, as you could imagine it back fired in my face more times than it ever did any good.  Just over a year now, God had given me the phrase, Walk in the freedom you have been given!  And so as a servant of Christ I no longer have to be swayed to make poor decisions based on the opinions or approval of others. 

Prayer:

O Sovereign Lord, You planned salvation from the beginning, sending Jesus the way, the truth, and the light to redeem us.  Forgive us Lord so often we don’t want the truth.  Our pride wants to earn its way and receive the glory.  We don’t want to admit that we are sinners, have failed, made mistakes, and fallen short in need of saving. Ironically enough the very truth we don’t want is exactly what sets us free.  Thank you Lord, where your Spirit is, there is freedom.  Holy Spirit, come lead us in Truth.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Just Crumbs…

Verse:

²³ But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly (Matthew 15:23-28).

Personal Thought:

So tonight we are sitting at the table having dinner.  As our dog come looking under the table for anything that might have fallen, my daughter says to her, Oh Sammy stop looking for crumbs it’s not lady like.  Immediately this verse came to mind and I said yes it is.  The women with demon possessed daughter came to Jesus and was willing to accept only the crumbs.

Prayer:
Thank you Jesus, even Your crumbs are enough!

First comes love…

Verse:

⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”  (Mark 10:6-9).

Personal Thought:

As the new school year has been approaching the realization of how fast time goes by hit pretty hard this year.  This year my daughter is in her second year of middle school and my son starts high school.  It feels like just yesterday they started kindergarten.  Many thoughts have begun the past couple of weeks like have I done all I could to prepare them for this season of life, am I prepared for this season of life, and how quickly will the upcoming years go by.  While all these things are rolling around in the back of mind there comes another thought… OH NO dating! 

I remember years back someone gave me some great advice.  They said, “you should start praying now for your children and their future spouses.”  Although I from time to time I have prayed that, I’m really feeling the need for that prayer in this approaching season of life. 

Prayer:

Dear Lord I pray for my children and for their future spouses.  Lord I believe you have chosen a specific person for each of them.  As I have watched the evidence of your work in their lives I know you have a purpose and a plan for them.  Lord I pray they would seek the path you have set before them, they seek your direction in their lives, and realize their full potential of who You have called them to be.  From the beginning Lord You have designed that man shall have a helper, and so I pray You prepare them and their future spouse because one day You will join them together.  May they seek Your will here on earth and where You are calling them.  Thank You Lord!  In Jesus Name, Amen.