They 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
Sometimes when our grandsons come to our house, they like to play hide and seek. It is such a different game than when I was a kid. As children, they have not yet learned how many clues they may give away in the process of hiding nor have they learned to listen for clues that I may offer. As an adult, I’ve learned to listen for those clues. Fairly certain of their hiding places, I usually take extra the time to “search” rather than going directly to them which allows for more enjoyment of the game on their part.
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, I believe that we often try to hide from God. Three common reasons we do this are: like Adam and Eve, it may be due to sin; there may be trials in our lives that cause us to doubt God’s goodness and love for us; or it may be as simple as lack of engagement in our spiritual life. Pulling away from God is exactly where Satan wants us as it leaves us open to temptation. Through his lies, he seeks to either turn us from God or at least immobilize us and lose our passion for God and engaging in the work that Lord may have planned for us.
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“‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’ Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37:4-6
Most mornings, the pain in my body wakes me before the alarm goes off. Laying there a bit irritated that my body has deprived me of sleep, the morning inventory and ponderings begin. How much pain is there and is it the kind can it be ignored? How much energy is available and will it improve as I start moving or quickly fade? How angry is my gut and how well will it cooperate with eating throughout the day? What is planned for today and will it have to be adjusted due to the responses to the prior queries? At best, I will encourage my body to get moving and function relatively normally (for me) throughout the day. At worst, I’ll end up more like a slug accomplishing the bare minimum. More often than not, it will be somewhere in the middle of the two. Notice that there is no “This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”, nor is there a mental or spiritual inventory. In those early moments of the day, it’s usually all about the body. Short sighted, focused and exhausting. I long for days when I awaken refreshed and alive. Whether or not one is ill, this life can be wearying. Trials and illness most certainly sap the strength from us on every level encouraging us to withdraw and become self-focused. However, jobs, family, relationships and social obligations are just as capable of draining us of physical, emotional and spiritual strength. Without attention to our souls, we become like the bones in Ezekiel’s vision: dried up, hopeless and cut off. In those times it’s important to remember who we are, where our strength comes from and where or hope lies.
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For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Romans 8:5-9
When I was in college, I took a chapel class that discussed controversial social issues. Two of those were suicide and euthanasia. Since my time in college and in the context of chronic illness, both of these choices have been gaining acceptance in our culture. The basic premise in their justification is that the person dying is ending their life with greater dignity and grace. To be sure, the aging process and health concerns such as dementia, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, strokes, cancer, etc. often bring on many indignities before finally ending life. However, to take matters into our own hands rather than relying on God’s timing is willful and contrary to God’s precepts. Rather than providing dignified death, it is either giving up or a defiant act in that it denies God’s goodness, wisdom, love and purposes. A death that is truly dignified is much more graceful and determined than suicide or euthanasia.
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God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
Last weekend I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. While there are a variety of reasons why people go to museums, I go purely to enjoy the beautiful objects. My favorites are the paintings by the old masters and the bronze pieces. On this trip I focused on the paintings, especially those with rich color and depth. It was relaxing and rewarding. However, no matter how much I appreciate fine art, architecture, or any other work created by mankind, they all pale when compared to the works of God.
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God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.
The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9
This week, my family and I are visiting my mother-in-law and other family members in New England. With seven people the dates and travel plans had to be carefully coordinated around work, new jobs, the school calendar, etc. The activities are more loosely planned, but planned to some extent prior to arrival. My older grandson and I drove up first and spent a day at the beach as planned. That evening, we met my wife at the airport. The plan for the following day was for the three of us to return to the beach for a day of sun and fun. We got up early and left for the beach, found a spot, and proceded to the water. After a short time our grandson got cold and decided that he wanted to climb on the rocks. My wife went with him while I went back to our blanket and chairs. A few minutes later my grandson came to me with a somber look and said “Grammy needs you. She’s hurt.”
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Let God’s promises shine on your problems.
Corrie ten Boom
http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/30-inspiring-christian-quotes.html
“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.”
Randy Alcorn
http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/30-inspiring-christian-quotes.html
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.” Philippians 1:21-22
Days after my nineteenth birthday, I was in a car accident with seven college friends. As we drove from the choir concert that we had just finished to a friend’s house so that we could sing at his church the following morning, a drunk driver pulled out in front of us causing us to hit head on. The van we were riding in hit, spun, tipped on its side and slid down the road. In the process of tipping, my face fell into the cutout that would be used if a window had been installed. Since there was none, only the outer layer of the van door stood between my face and the road. As we slid, it was as if God gave me a glimpse into heaven and asked if I would prefer to come home to him or remain in my current life.
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