Let’s go back……waaaay back…..to a beautiful garden, a perfect garden with the most luscious trees! No bugs, no 100 degree temps or humidity (=good hair!), oh and no clothes necessary because there was no shame, no self-consciousness, no sin! Only cool breezes and the greatest thing of all… the constant fellowship and Presence of the LIVING GOD, Creator of heaven and earth and everything in it!
Who could ask for more? Except Adam and Eve! Here it all began. The great deceiver! The father of lies! Spewing out promises that were as far from the truth as the east is from the west!
And then flesh reared its ugly head in a quest to be wise and just like God! Surely just one bite wouldn’t hurt anything! Look at that fruit! It’s so beautiful and looks so tender and juicy! 🍎
And so our lives were changed forever!
As we look at Genesis 3:8-10, it’s kind of crazy for Adam and Eve to think they could hide from God! I know there were lots of trees and everything, but really? But even crazier, how could the all knowing, all present Lord God Almighty have to ask them “WHERE ARE YOU?” Doesn’t He know? Can’t He see them?
It’s not rocket science! He asked because He wanted them to answer the question, look within, see their rebellion, feel remorse and repent of their sin! But sadly that didn’t happen! The blame was put on each other and even God Himself!
Things have not changed since those days in the garden! We still blame others, our circumstances and even God Himself for our disobedience! Today, right at this moment, our Lord God wants to ask each one of us:
WHERE. ARE. YOU?
The million dollar question and one that if we answer honestly and then choose to take steps to change, could alter the course of our life and bring us into greater intimacy with our Lord and give us the abundant life Jesus promised us!
You know we are so good about taking our cars in for maintenance and tune ups and we faithfully make time for yearly checkups with our doctor and dentist……but our walk with God needs check ups and tune ups too!
- WHERE ARE YOU in your relationship with the Lord
- WHERE ARE YOU in your relationships with your family?
- WHERE ARE YOU in your relationships with friends, neighbors, coworkers?
1.It’s time to take our temperature! 🤒🌡Are we hot with a passion to know Him more? Is HE our FIRST priority, does our relationship with the Lord trump everything else in our life, our family and friends, our jobs, our activities, our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and even our ministry to others and in the church? Do we spend more time with HIM or on the things of this world? Time really tells us where our treasures are and where our treasures are there our hearts will be!
2. How are things going with the fam? Are we murmuring or complaining about our spouse, our kids, our siblings or even our parents? Is there someone you’re not speaking to in your family?Is there discord, unforgiveness or do we just take them for granted and forget to show them unconditional love and appreciation? Aside from Jesus, are we putting our family above everyone and everything else or do they get our leftovers?
3. How about our friends, neighbors, coworkers or even those we come in contact with at the grocery store or restaurant? Is there discord, disunity, divisiveness or even jealousy amongst friends? Do we try to pretend we have no prejudice and that we don’t pass judgments on those who are different than us or who treat us unkindly? Or do we walk in the unconditional love of Christ, loving and giving to others and expecting nothing in return? Do others see us as Jesus with skin on? Do we carry the fragrance of Christ?
There is a very sobering verse in Revelation 3:15,16 and one that causes all of us to cringe! Not a popular sermon topic! I know I don’t really want to meditate on this part of the Bible! Let me chew on the verses that talk about how much God loves and forgives me, how I’m seated with Him in heavenly places and how the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in ME! 💃 As they say in the South, you can’t beat that with a stick!……..
But we NEED the full counsel of God and His Word, for that is how we are conformed to His image and transformed so that others will see Jesus in us and loooooong to KNOW Him! So here it is in all of its in your face reality, mixed with love of course!!
The Lord God Himself says:
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
HOLD ON! Don’t stop reading! I can almost hear those buttons clicking, returning to your news feeds on FB to find out what your friends ate for dinner!
JUST WAIT! THERE’S GOOD NEWS!! No need to cover ourselves with sack cloth and ashes and beat our chests! Or live in fear and trembling that our God will go full out Wizard on us like the Wizard did to Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz!
For we have been REDEEMED by the blood of the Lamb and clothed with His robes of RIGHTEOUSNESS!
He has seated us WITH Him in heavenly places!
Though our sins are as scarlett, He has made us white as snow!
He loves us with an everlasting and unconditional love!
He’s the God of a million+ second chances!
He lovingly and gently corrects and convicts us like a Good Good Father because His love for us NEVER changes!
He understands every temptation that comes before us and He forgives then forgets every sin we repent of!
He graciously gave us His Word so that we would know exactly how to live His abundant life, experience every spiritual blessing and be equipped for every good work that He planned for us BEFORE we were even born!
So you see precious ones, this check up/tune up is profitable and necessary for us so that we can identify the things in our lives that are creating distance between us and our Lord! We desperately need Him in these troubled times!
The Elections. The Economy. Terrorist Attacks. A Diagnosis. Divorce. Rejection. Shame. Abandonment. Loneliness. Anxiety. Addictions. Strongholds…….. These things do not have to shake us or break us, but fear will grip us if we are not staying close to God and our Faith, Hope and Trust in Him is not steadfast and secure!
FOR HE IS OUR:
PROTECTOR!
PROVIDER!
PEACE!
SUSTAINER!
DELIVERER!
REDEEMER!
REFUGE!
STRENGTH!
HOPE!
EVER PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!
So WHERE ARE YOU? Do you know Him and love Him more than you did yesterday, last month, last year? Our God already knows the answer to that question and yet He lovingly calls out to each of us and longs for our complete honesty and heartfelt desire to turn from those things that are hindering our intimacy with Him!
Yes we blew our opportunity to live in a perfect garden, but God sent His son Jesus to die for us! And He rose again, giving us full access to the constant fellowship and presence of the Living God, just like Adam and Eve had in the garden before they selfishly made a decision to put other things above Him! Oh that we would all stop repeating that same mistake!
Let this verse resonate within you and overtake your heart, soul, mind and strength! May this be our deepest desire and our heartfelt prayer!
Oh dear sisters and brothers, we MUST draw near to Him! We can not live a lukewarm life! There is too much at stake and too much to lose!
So come on in to His Throne Room for that check up! Let Him ask you those questions and walk you through a tune up! He’s got all the grace and mercy you could ever need and He will run to meet you with His arms wide open! His unconditional love will cover and fill you until every bit of that which is lukewarm or even cold will be replaced by a passion and love for Him that can not be quenched by anything or anyone in this world! And it only hurts a little! So hurry! He’s waiting for YOU!!
OUR LOVING AND KIND FATHER!
THANK YOU FOR NEVER GIVING UP ON US! THANK YOU FOR ASKING US HARD QUESTIONS THAT CAUSE US TO STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS AND DESIRE TO SEE US BECOME ALL YOU HAVE CREATED US TO BE, LACKING NOTHING!
HELP US TO DIG DEEP WITHIN OURSELVES, DROP OUR PRIDE AND BE TRUTHFUL WITH THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS! WE CAN TRUST YOU TO WRAP YOUR LOVING ARMS AROUND US, OFFER FORGIVENESS AND GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING!
HOW AMAZING THAT WE CAN COME BOLDLY INTO YOUR THRONE ROOM AND RECEIVE ALL THE GRACE AND MERCY WE WILL EVER NEED! WE OWE OUR LIVES TO YOU! WE LOVE AND ADORE YOU! IN JESUS MIGHTY AND MATCHLESS NAME! ✝
❤️ALL my love,
tara
hisbeautifulmess 