What's Your Fig Leaf?

At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Genesis 3:7 (NLT)

Adam and Eve ate of the fruit and just as God said their eyes were open to evil. And with that, they were ashamed. Isn't that the case with us as well? We do something we should not do because we thought it would make us happy but instead, it made us feel bad about ourselves. 

Adam and Eve sowed fig leaves together to cover themselves - to hide what they had done. Wonder what they would have done if they lived today? We hide from ourselves and from God in a variety of ways. We work too much. We eat too much. We buy lots of things that we think will take away the pain of what sits inside. We stay so busy we have no time to think or to rest. We indulge in things that we shouldn't seeking to cover what is eating at us. And then, just so everyone knows that all is well, we post pictures of ourselves on social media looking "Fine."

What is your fig leaf? What are you using to cover what you are running from? Let go of the fig leaf. Talk to God about it and come out from hiding. He's near and just like he did with Adam and Eve, he wants to talk to you.

Don't Take My Word For It

But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (NLT)

God gave this command to Adam early on.  Then he created Eve. There is no record in the Bible that says that God gave this command to Eve so one has to wonder if Eve heard it from Adam.  And then you have to wonder if she didn't get the full message because in Genesis 3 she replied to the serpent and said that they couldn't even touch it....which is not what God said. 

It was clear that Eve was deceived by Satan and I am not advocating that it was OK that she ate the fruit...we all know the pain that started. So what's my point?

My point is this.  I can tell you over and over again that God loves you. I can tell you about his promises and I can assure you that he is real. I can even share stories about when he showed up and became real for me. While you might be moved by those, it won't be enough. Hearing about God from someone else will not make him real to you. You have to experience him for yourself. 

That gigantic God-hole in your heart cannot be filled by me, my words and my stories. There is only One that can fill that for you.  God.

Are you tired of hearing about God and not experiencing him yourself? Do you feel that something is missing? Do you know there are more important things in life than this rat-race that we live?  There is and there are. And you should go find Him.

Spend a little time each day being with God. Read/Listen a devotional, the Bible or something that shares God's character for 5 minutes each day. And then, talk to him. There are no rules. Say whatever you want. You can't do it wrong. Just talk and then listen as you go through your day. When you take that first step to know him, he will show up and that big, huge hole in your heart will begin to be filled. There is nothing like it....but don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

Wilderness Walking

Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt! Numbers 14:4 (NLT)

As the Israelites wandered the wilderness, they had this nasty habit of complaining. As I read through the Old Testament, I am amazed that over and over again they say "We would have been better off in Egypt." Didn't they remember they were slaves there? Didn't they remember the abuse, the toil, the total lack of freedom? 

And then, during one of their temper tantrums, they actually made plans to choose a new leader and go back to Egypt. And God said, "OK! If you don't want to go to into the Promised Land, you don't have to."

God doesn't ever force us to do anything against our will. He wants the relationship with us. He wants the conversation and the sharing and he wants us to see that what he has planned is way better than what we have planned. He will try to show us that. But, if we choose not to see it or if we choose not to go along, he is not going to force us. After all, that is not love and God is love.

I find it incredibly sad that the Israelites were stuck in this mindset. I guess when things look bleak or you don't see movement in the direction you want it's easy to be convinced that God has stepped out of the picture. I know I've gone there.  

This is where our faith comes in.  Faith is what you lean on when it doesn't look like you think it should and you can't see anything happening. Faith is staying put, trusting that God is working on your behalf. Faith is praising instead of complaining.  

We all walk in the wilderness sometimes. We all are tempted to believe that God isn't in it. But his promises are clear.  He is always in it,. He is always on the journey with you. He always loves you.

Tell Him All About It

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read through the Bible text and read the questions at the bottom of the post.

1-3 I’m determined to watch steps and tongue
    so they won’t land me in trouble.
I decided to hold my tongue
    as long as Wicked is in the room.
“Mum’s the word,” I said, and kept quiet.
    But the longer I kept silence
The worse it got—
    my insides got hotter and hotter.
My thoughts boiled over;
    I spilled my guts.

4-6 “Tell me, what’s going on, God?
    How long do I have to live?
    Give me the bad news!
You’ve kept me on pretty short rations;
    my life is string too short to be saved.
Oh! we’re all puffs of air.
    Oh! we’re all shadows in a campfire.
Oh! we’re just spit in the wind.
    We make our pile, and then we leave it.

7-11 “What am I doing in the meantime, Lord?
    Hoping, that’s what I’m doing—hoping
You’ll save me from a rebel life,
    save me from the contempt of dunces.
I’ll say no more, I’ll shut my mouth,
    since you, Lord, are behind all this.
    But I can’t take it much longer.
When you put us through the fire
    to purge us from our sin,
    our dearest idols go up in smoke.
Are we also nothing but smoke?

12-13 “Ah, God, listen to my prayer, my
    cry—open your ears.
Don’t be callous;
    just look at these tears of mine.
I’m a stranger here. I don’t know my way—
    a migrant like my whole family.
Give me a break, cut me some slack
    before it’s too late and I’m out of here.” Psalm 39 (MSG)

Do you think it's OK to feel uncertain about how things are going? Is it OK to wonder what God is up to and how he's working it out? Do you think it's OK to have days where you question? David did. He had them a lot and Praise God, some of them are listed in the Bible. You are in good company. So go for it, tell God how you feel. He wants you to.

I Am Kinda, Sorta Like That

When Moses reported the Lord’s words to all the Israelites, the people were filled with grief. 40 Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.” Numbers 14:39-40 (NLT)

Again the people grumbled against Moses and Aaron and let's be honest, against God. God's answer was that they would not enter the Promised Land. And, he told Moses this.  Moses shared it with the people and they decided to go anyway.

EXCUSE ME? God tells you not to do something and you are going to do it anyway? Don't you know who you are dealing with?  God is well, GOD! He controls everything. He knows the end from the beginning. He is present in everything. He is all-powerful. He has a plan and the plan always works out the way he wants. And you, Israelites, decide to go it on your own?  What is wrong with you?

Wait. What? Do I ever do this same thing? Do I ever read my Bible and ignore the parts I don't want to deal with? Do I ever feel convicted about something and tell God I'll do that later? Do I ever do something that I know God doesn't want me to do because.....well.....because I want to?

Well, if you put it that way....yes, yes I do. I may have been one of the Israelites standing on top of the hill about to go into the Promised Land without God. What about you? 

He's Got This

The Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:27 (NIV)

The other day at Bible Study we started discussing the Holy Spirit. Of course, you can't do that in one sitting...or probably a hundred because there is too much to Him. But that's another Thought!

The next day, I came across this text and it brought me back to our discussion. We often feel like we are alone in our stuff.  We are alone in our decisions. We are alone in our problems. We are facing the emotional upheavals by ourselves. We forget.

We forget that when we chose Jesus, when we were baptized that we were filled with the Holy Spirit. We forget that he is a part of our lives and is very, very involved. The Holy Spirit is always working on our behalf doing the will of God. 

When I ponder this, well, it kind of blows my mind. As I am processing through some tough decisions at work, he is there guiding me. When I am praying about a tiff I had with someone, he is convicting my heart. When I am facing a problem that is way bigger than I can handle on my own, he is working on my behalf in the background. And when I am dreaming about the big dreams God has placed on my heart, he is showing me step by step how to get there. Like I said, blows my mind.

If we know that the Holy Spirit is involved, is intervening on our behalf working the plan out according to what God wants (even if we can't see it right this second), shouldn't we be confident in what's happening in our lives? I guess my next question is Do we believe it?

Get Out Of That Hole!

But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. Matthew 25:18 (NLT)

Do you ever feel like this guy? You have been given something to do and you are 100% positive you can't do it. The one thing you are really, really sure of is the knot in your stomach and the fear that follows you around telling you that you are not qualified to do the thing God has given you to do.

I have been there. And there are still days that I feel this way. It makes you stop in your tracks and become unable to move forward, no matter how much you want to. Those voices that whisper to you of failure....they really are crippling.....as long as you listen to them.

And there, my friend, is where you have a choice. The man in the parable of the talents made his choice. He buried the cause of his fear and walked away. You don't have to do that. You can turn to God and tell him about your fear and ask him for courage. You can turn to the Bible and read his promises. You can strengthen yourself by remember the amazing things he has done in the past.

And then, after you remember who gave you the assignment; that he is all powerful and that he promises never to leave you for forsake you; then you can dig up what you buried and take a step forward. 

Don't kick yourself for being afraid. Fear is normal. But don't be like the man who buried his life with his fear. Recognize it for what it is and ask God to give you strength. He has great plans for you but he can't fulfill them with you hiding in a hole.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6

Seek Because He's Not Hiding

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV)

Did you wake up this morning and think about the list of things you had to do? Did you wonder if you would get it all done and realizing that maybe you wouldn't get discouraged? Do you feel like you just can't get there because you aren't accomplishing all the things on your list?

Today, I have a different task for you to try. I want you to go about your day asking God to reveal himself to you. Then, I want you to look for him. Everywhere you go, in everything you do, look for God in it.

Maybe it's in the warm smile of another person. Maybe it's in something beautiful you saw or the sound of someone's kind words. Or how about in an act of kindness you did for someone else or a blessing that you received.

I've taken this challenge in the past and I was amazed at all the places I saw God throughout my day. Places I didn't notice before because I wasn't actually looking for him. I was too distracted with my 'lists.' I know you will see him. He is in everything we do. He is all around us. We just need to change our focus.

Would love to hear what you see today. Most importantly, I know your heart will suddenly be full. No matter what you actually accomplish (or not), it will still be a better day!