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You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. Psalm 139:1-2
With the popularity of the internet and various networking sites, like FaceBook and Twitter, the concept of ‘knowing someone’ has become somewhat clouded. We can ‘know’ someone from other countries who we have never met anywhere but in cyberspace.
In Psalm 139, King David makes the statement “You know me” concerning God. The knowledge God has of us is so much more intimate than we can imagine. I can choose what information I let you know about me. I can tone down the bad stuff about me and put a nice coat of frosting on the good stuff to make it even better.
I can choose to hide the things I don’t want you to know, those hidden thoughts, dreams and fantasies or those opinions of you (and others) that contradict the smile on my face. I can try to hide the pain, shame and embarrassment of how I really feel about me as well. In fact, most times, people we see as happy-go-lucky and conceited are really insecure and looking for something good to grasp onto about themselves.
God knows me. Think on that for a minute. The Creator/Sustainer of the universe, not just my world, not just the galaxy we live in, THE universe, knows me. He and He alone, sees clearly behind the mask we use to show people the person we’d like to be. The walls we build to protect ourselves and keep others at a distance do nothing to keep Him from entering in and looking around.
Every thought, every emotion, every hurt and pain, every time you’ve been emotionally or physically abused has been seen by Him and He feels your pain. He hears your unspoken prayers, sees your unseen tears and walks with you through the fearful times when everyone else thinks you are strong.
Remember one more thing. King David was not a pleasant person. He was a murderer. He slept with a married woman and got her pregnant. He ignored the time one of his sons raped one of his daughters. He lied. He cheated. Yet in all this God calls Him a man after His own heart. God saw through all David’s weaknesses and failures and loved him anyway. He does the same for you.
PRAYER: Once again I am in awe of Your love O God my Father. There is no hiding with you. You know my deepest longings and pain. You cry with me and celebrate with me. I praise you for who you are and ask that you would help me, as I go through my day, to sense Your love and presence during the dark times of my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. Song of Solomon 2:15
Preventative maintenance is important in many areas of our lives. A simple oil change can keep your car running better and longer. A few minutes of exercise everyday can keep your body healthier, your mind sharper and give you more energy for the day.
The same is true in our relationships with our spouses/significant other, our children, our families, our jobs or any other relationship we may be a part of. It’s the little things we do that keep a relationship healthy and growing. In order for relationships to be healthy they need to continue to grow. Stagnant relationships are dying relationships.
In Old Testament Palestine, vineyards were a huge part of the economy. One of the ‘predators’ for the vineyard was the fox. Small foxes would enter the vineyard at night and destroy the vines, eat the grapes and blossoms and dig up the roots. The owner of the vineyard spent much time and money to protect his vineyard from these little, but deadly enemies.
Healthy relationships are relationships where all parties involved work together to keep the little things from entering our ‘vineyard’ to damage or kill it. Most relationships don’t end like a train wreck. Train wrecks are sudden, unexpected and deadly. Relationships usually die a slow death from the inside out, like cancer, and usually happen when one or both parties involved fail to take preventative action.
The ‘little foxes’ of relationship can be something as simple as making sure you say thank you, or being brave enough to say ‘I’m sorry’ even if you aren’t totally at fault. The ‘little fox’ of sarcasm can attack the very roots of the relationship. Sarcasm is the lowest form of ‘humor’ and one of the deadliest relationship killers. Unresolved anger, guilt and emotional or physical abuse may seem like big issues in a relationship, and indeed they are. However they aren’t the main issue, they are the result of the work of little foxes.
The best protection for the vineyard of our relationships is a firm, unified relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion and going to church won’t protect your relationship any more than a sign at the entrance of the vineyard will ward off the foxes. Relationship with Jesus is much more than religion and warming the pew of some church.
Simple things like saying ‘I love you’ or, ‘I’m proud of you’, or ‘I like how you do that’ are little things that can add huge walls against the foxes of our lives. Studying the Bible together, making sure that there are no unresolved conflicts in your lives, being willing to forgive and be honest with each other and encouraging each other to use thief gifts are all ways to strengthen the bond of your relationships.
Vineyards were the life blood of the Old Testament economy just as relationships are the lifeblood in this journey we call life. Work as hard as you can to make sure the little foxes don’t enter and destroy.
PRAYER: Father, I admit to you that I’m not good at relationship. My past is full of so many foxes that I’ve never learned how to do relationship well. I’m tired of feeling like I’m the only one doing the work of relationship building. The pain of rejection and abuse keeps me back from trying anymore. Help me to build a relationship with You first so that I can build or rebuild relationships with those I love. In Jesus name, Amen.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24
What do you do for a living? When someone asks you that question they are usually asking whose name is on the paycheck or where you spend your working hours. What we do in life has a huge effect on how we feel about ourselves. If we love our job, life is good even if the pay we receive isn’t enough. If we hate our job, no amount of money in the world will bring us joy. There are many ‘rich people’ who go to work feeling miserable everyday.
What is the difference? The difference between enjoying your job and despising your job comes from inside you. There are lots of ‘bosses’ out there who feel it is their duty to micro-manage everything. They make you feel like you are a total idiot and, no matter how well you do, they criticize every aspect of your work.
There are other bosses out there who are controlling, manipulative and degrading. It’s as if they use their power to make themselves feel good at your expense. They will make you feel stupid, insignificant or hold the paycheck you receive over your head as some sort of carrot to make you do what he/she wants.
There are good bosses too, of course. Those men and women who see their job as empowering you to excel at what you do. They see you as a partner in business more than a slave to be directed and used.
It’s interesting that when Paul was writing to the Colossians he doesn’t make reference to the type of boss you have. He makes reference to the kind of worker you are. God isn’t as concerned about how your boss treats you as he is how you approach your work. The reason for that is because in God’s eyes, you aren’t working for an earthly boss or earthly rewards. Your daily work is for Him and your reward is eternal.
Remember the earlier question, “What do you do for a living?” Your response to that question defined how you feel about yourself. Whether you are a student, a stay-at-home parent, a teacher, a preacher or anything else, your boss isn’t the person whose signature is on your paycheck. Your boss is whose signature is on your heart. That signature is either Jesus or you. The difference will be seen in your attitude. Don’t let earthly bossed determine your worth. Your worth is wrapped up in who you are in Jesus and what He has done for you and in you.
If God is sovereign as we say He is, then wherever He places you is for a purpose, to help you grow stronger, use your gifts and show your co-workers what Jesus is like. Ultimately, Jesus is the one we answer to. Work everyday with excellence for His name’s sake.
PRAYER: Father God, you know that I go to work some days with dread in my heart. I feel [unappreciated, used, underpaid, unqualified] to do what I do. I get angry, frustrated and stressed. I ask that you would empower me to approach every day and every job with the attitude that I am doing it for you. If I am to dig ditches, let my ditches be deep and straight to show the excellence You have instilled in me. From this day forward, I am working for you. Amen.
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
You probably don’t remember this, but if you know how to walk today it’s because you learned the ability to ‘walk-a-by-self’. A friend of mine tells the story of her very independent toddler daughter. Just after she learned to walk she was very determined to show her independence. Mom tried to pick her up but she refused. She wanted to ‘walk-a-by-self’. Mom put her down and tried to hold her hand, but she pulled away and announced to the world: “WALK-A-BY-SELF!”, and so…she did, with mom close beside her to guard her steps.
We chuckle from time to time about the pseudo-independence our toddlers show with those first steps. Oh, at first they are pretty shaky and unsteady but then, the reach that point where the fear is gone and we realize there is a whole new world to explore and we attack it with gusto!
We tend to be the same way in our spiritual lives. We are confident in our own abilities to do life. We show our freedom from the rules by making choices that put us in danger. We choose relationships based on looks or status rather than seeking Gods direction. We spend freely, eat poorly, and ‘love’ openly. Sometimes that gets us in trouble. We charge on without any awareness whatsoever of our parents presence and get lost. We run to fast and stumble and fall. We meet the coffee table head-on (yes it was a pun, but so very true), all the while thinking God is nowhere to be seen.
Our Heavenly Father knows that we need to have the freedom to walk on our own. He knows it builds strength and confidence. He knows it allows us the opportunity to develop the gifts, talents and abilities He planned for us to have.
Our Father also knows that we will fall. As in the physical life, we will end up with bruised knees and an occasional bloody nose. Sometimes we’ll require stitches and need to be picked up and comforted. Sometimes we’ll look Him square in the eye and announce: “walk-a-by-self!” We’ll wander and get ourselves in a whole variety of predicaments, but we will never be outside his protective grasp.
The analogy of a rebellious two-year old falls short in one area though. Our Heavenly Father knows we’ll stumble and fall, but we will never be out of reach of His strong and powerful arms. We are never out of sight of His wise, discerning eyes. We never really ‘walk-a-by-self’ when we walk with Jesus. He’s always there. Always faithful, always willing to let us have the freedom to choose, and always willing to pick us up when we stray from Him and need His healing arms around us.
It doesn’t matter where you have strayed or what choices you’ve made, or where you find yourself in life today. Jesus Christ longs to hold you in His arms of forgiveness and grace so that you may be comforted and strengthened to walk again.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. The Bible tells me I can call you ‘Daddy’. Thank you that like a caring, compassionate and wise father you allow me the freedom to walk-a-by-self. Thank you that through Jesus Christ I can be forgiven when my walking gets me in trouble. Thank you for the healing salve of your grace. I ask today that you would help me up, for I’ve stumbled once again, and empower me by your Spirit to walk with you. In Your Holy name I pray, Amen.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
It’s amazing to me how much power we have to affect the lives of others as well as ourselves. We think of God as being all-powerful and we as being weak human beings and, comparatively of course, that’s true. The all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God is no match for our frailty as human beings.
The other side of that coin is that we are made in the image of God. As such He has given us the tremendous power to choose. The most important choice we make everyday is whether to believe what God says about us or to believe what we and others say about us.
This battle has raged in our lives since conception! There is research to suggest that the tiniest of embryo senses the love of its mother. Then, from birth the formation begins in earnest. Our parents love and compassion, or anger and frustration tell us (often unintentionally) that we are good or bad, smart or stupid, and while most parents would never admit this, worthy or worthless.
We enter school and learn quickly whether we are part of the ‘in crowd’ or not. If we are we have worth, if not, then destiny will take its course and most likely we will spend our lives wishing we could be something we are not and overlooking the jewel that we are.
Solomon tells us a cheerful heart is medicine for a crushed spirit. A cheerful heart is a heart that knows who I am and knows that although I may fail, I am a child of God. I have worth. I am just exactly how He wants me.
For many of us our spirit was crushed years ago. The phrase ‘dries up the bones’ has the word picture of the very marrow of the bones being dried up. When our spirits are crushed we wither away from the inside until we are nothing but a shell. No one sees dried bones. They are covered by the skin, the mask we put on every day.
Dried bones so often can start with a single, well-placed word of condemnation by a parent, a friend or a spouse. Jesus says, “If you speak in anger against your brother you are guilty of murder”; James says that “If we never stumble in what we say we are perfect.” Paul says, “Let no unwholesome word come from your mouth;” and the list goes on.
How you feel about yourself and others is shown in the words you speak. How you feel about yourself is often determined by your reaction to their words. The best cure for dry bones, the healing salve for a crushed spirit is Jesus. Don’t listen to the voices that have so long told you that you can’t, or won’t succeed. Stop believing the lies that have been impaled on your heart for so long.
You are God’s greatest creation. Jesus died for you because He loves you. Now that He sees how you turned out…He’d do it again. Listen to the heart of God concerning you. Today make the choice to believe what He says about you. Let the healing salve of His love soothe your crushed spirit and bring life to your dry bones.
PRAYER: Father, I’m brought to tears when I think about the lies I’ve listened to all these years. I’m ashamed of the times I’ve probably been responsible for crushing a few spirits of those I love as well. In Jesus name I ask that you would forgive me for the damage I’ve done and heal the damage others have inflicted on me. By the power of Your Spirit I’m resolved, starting today, to live in the awareness of Your love and presence in every aspect of my life. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 