For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12
My toes are still achy from the sermon yesterday morning. Yet I also think it is SO neat how when we are facing (or refacing) an obstacle in our life, and sometimes not handling it quite so well, that God's Word and the Holy Spirit searches our heart and gives us EXACTLY what we need. It may not be what we want, but what we need.
I think of that verse that talks about seeing ourselves as in a mirror for just a moment, and sometimes I fear that is how my Christian walk is. It's like waking up in the morning, seeing a big zit on your face when you look in the mirror, then getting busy when you burn breakfast and are running late with no time to clean up the kitchen or make up the bed and the absolute last thing on your mind is that horrendous old bump on your face. No one else sees your unmade bed or your dirty dishes (until someone stops by unexpectedly, which seems to happen to me quite a bit, and always on the worst days!), but they do often notice the outward flaw, especially on those crazy no-time-for-makeup days.
People don't see my thoughts and intents, but the One who can also recognizes that from my thoughts and intents came forth my actions, which others do see. So tomorrow when I'm faced with ignorance, pride, rudeness, hatefulness, bitterness, brokenness, my own pride and arrogance, and a multitude of other things that seem to walk up and slap me in the face, I pray that the agape love of I Cor 13 will shine out through me, that I will reflect the one who is slowly and painstakingly remaking me in His image, and not the roughshodden, anger-filled, emotional, sinful being that it is so easy to be.
My toes are still achy from the sermon yesterday morning. Yet I also think it is SO neat how when we are facing (or refacing) an obstacle in our life, and sometimes not handling it quite so well, that God's Word and the Holy Spirit searches our heart and gives us EXACTLY what we need. It may not be what we want, but what we need.
I think of that verse that talks about seeing ourselves as in a mirror for just a moment, and sometimes I fear that is how my Christian walk is. It's like waking up in the morning, seeing a big zit on your face when you look in the mirror, then getting busy when you burn breakfast and are running late with no time to clean up the kitchen or make up the bed and the absolute last thing on your mind is that horrendous old bump on your face. No one else sees your unmade bed or your dirty dishes (until someone stops by unexpectedly, which seems to happen to me quite a bit, and always on the worst days!), but they do often notice the outward flaw, especially on those crazy no-time-for-makeup days.
People don't see my thoughts and intents, but the One who can also recognizes that from my thoughts and intents came forth my actions, which others do see. So tomorrow when I'm faced with ignorance, pride, rudeness, hatefulness, bitterness, brokenness, my own pride and arrogance, and a multitude of other things that seem to walk up and slap me in the face, I pray that the agape love of I Cor 13 will shine out through me, that I will reflect the one who is slowly and painstakingly remaking me in His image, and not the roughshodden, anger-filled, emotional, sinful being that it is so easy to be.
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