NOTE: Please remember I am simply recording thought.
I am a child looking for her Father's hand. I am not teaching.
I am a child looking for her Father's hand. I am not teaching.
MATTHEW 2
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I must admit I struggled to find God's hand in this chapter. I saw His directive, guiding Joseph to take his family 'here and there', and I saw the trust Joseph had in God's guidance - or, in God's hand - but there was nothing in this verse that moved my heart; nothing that caused me to make like a child and reach for my Father's hand...until I saw His eyes.
Joseph was sleeping. He was safe in his bed, ignorant of what was going on in the world, unaware of the danger heading his way (a very vulnerable state, indeed), but God saw... That part touched my heart. I could imagine Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus asleep in their beds, resting in peace and ignorance, with God standing tall (very tall!), watching over them and watching out for them. God saw the danger while they slept. He saw it coming from afar. And, at the right time, He woke Joseph up to what was going on. He gave them the 'heads up' and said "move". He kept them safe. He didn't eliminate the danger from the world, but He did work to protect those He was watching over. Again, I love that image. That makes my heart all warm and gooey. :) It also makes me want to hold my Father's hand and trust it even more, knowing He is watching over me and mine, looking out for us and prepared to give us the "heads up" when needed.
This tells me: Life may not always be a bed of roses, and sometimes we may be inconvenienced, but if God's got a plan you can bet it's for a purpose and to get you to a better place - despite any discomfort you may experience.
SIDETRACKED...kind of:
I was happy to leave my ponderings there until my eye was once again drawn to Joseph's heart and the following question entered mine: "Where is the Joseph Generation?" A generation that dare to have a heart faithful to God's word but not to the point of using 'the law' to justify condemning someone (that would be grace); who will trust God to watch over them even while they sleep, willing to follow His leading every waking moment. Where are they?
When God directed Joseph to 'go and do', Joseph 'went and did'. He could've used the law to say, "No, I can't do that because---" but he risked everything to do what God asked him to do. He could've used the law to justify having Mary stoned for being pregnant outside of wedlock...but his was a heart that knew His Father's voice and followed after it, and, no doubt, risked his reputation in the process.
When I thought, "Where are they?" the picture I received was of a bunch of people sitting in church, wanting to be, and being, faithful to God's word, wanting to reach out in love and often doing so, but not daring to move out of the shadow of their leaders; being taught not to heed God's call unless a leader declares it to be so -- despite all we're taught in the New Testament about receiving access to God for ourselves. Yes, they were in church. Yes, they had hearts that wanted to be faithful. Yes, they had the desire to love. But they were being rocked to sleep by those who do not trust the Holy Spirit with anyone outside of the leadership team.
But not only that. It's not always about the leaders.
Others could be sitting in church, with the same hearts, but not following God's lead because of insecurity, fears, doubting they are granted the ability to hear God's voice for themselves, a sense of worthless, the inability to comprehend and receive or give forgiveness, and so on. They're there. In God's House. But they're not moving.
Oh, that we could silence all voices but His...
Ok, so this might not be you, and it may not be your church. I'm not saying it is. It was just a picture placed before me. And, the truth is, on seeing these things, I found conviction.
I was the heart in the church wanting to be faithful, wanting to reach out in love...hearing God's voice for myself, but not daring to follow it. I've been in both those scenarios: I've been the one bowing to leadership who fear the Holy Spirit speaking directly to their congregation, and I've been the one who bows to fear, insecurity, a sense of worthlessness and so on, to the point of not trusting, and not following God's voice.
I heard God's voice for myself, and for one reason or another, silenced it.
* I just had a picture of God waking Joseph, only to have Joseph roll over and, as he pulls the covers up over his shoulder, say, "I couldn't be bothered, God... I'm too tired." Imagine if he had of...
Gee, I've been saying that to God for months - if not years. I grew weary in doing good, and have often found myself saying, "I couldn't be bothered, God. I'm too tired. I give up. Send someone else..." and so on.
:( Sorry, God.
So when God asks me, "Where is the Joseph Generation?" I can answer only for myself, and from experience, and say, "Here I am, God; hiding in the shadows, God..." before repenting and saying, "Here am I, God. Speak..."
Joseph was sleeping. He was safe in his bed, ignorant of what was going on in the world, unaware of the danger heading his way (a very vulnerable state, indeed), but God saw... That part touched my heart. I could imagine Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus asleep in their beds, resting in peace and ignorance, with God standing tall (very tall!), watching over them and watching out for them. God saw the danger while they slept. He saw it coming from afar. And, at the right time, He woke Joseph up to what was going on. He gave them the 'heads up' and said "move". He kept them safe. He didn't eliminate the danger from the world, but He did work to protect those He was watching over. Again, I love that image. That makes my heart all warm and gooey. :) It also makes me want to hold my Father's hand and trust it even more, knowing He is watching over me and mine, looking out for us and prepared to give us the "heads up" when needed.
This tells me: Life may not always be a bed of roses, and sometimes we may be inconvenienced, but if God's got a plan you can bet it's for a purpose and to get you to a better place - despite any discomfort you may experience.
SIDETRACKED...kind of:
I was happy to leave my ponderings there until my eye was once again drawn to Joseph's heart and the following question entered mine: "Where is the Joseph Generation?" A generation that dare to have a heart faithful to God's word but not to the point of using 'the law' to justify condemning someone (that would be grace); who will trust God to watch over them even while they sleep, willing to follow His leading every waking moment. Where are they?
When God directed Joseph to 'go and do', Joseph 'went and did'. He could've used the law to say, "No, I can't do that because---" but he risked everything to do what God asked him to do. He could've used the law to justify having Mary stoned for being pregnant outside of wedlock...but his was a heart that knew His Father's voice and followed after it, and, no doubt, risked his reputation in the process.
When I thought, "Where are they?" the picture I received was of a bunch of people sitting in church, wanting to be, and being, faithful to God's word, wanting to reach out in love and often doing so, but not daring to move out of the shadow of their leaders; being taught not to heed God's call unless a leader declares it to be so -- despite all we're taught in the New Testament about receiving access to God for ourselves. Yes, they were in church. Yes, they had hearts that wanted to be faithful. Yes, they had the desire to love. But they were being rocked to sleep by those who do not trust the Holy Spirit with anyone outside of the leadership team.
But not only that. It's not always about the leaders.
Others could be sitting in church, with the same hearts, but not following God's lead because of insecurity, fears, doubting they are granted the ability to hear God's voice for themselves, a sense of worthless, the inability to comprehend and receive or give forgiveness, and so on. They're there. In God's House. But they're not moving.
Oh, that we could silence all voices but His...
Ok, so this might not be you, and it may not be your church. I'm not saying it is. It was just a picture placed before me. And, the truth is, on seeing these things, I found conviction.
I was the heart in the church wanting to be faithful, wanting to reach out in love...hearing God's voice for myself, but not daring to follow it. I've been in both those scenarios: I've been the one bowing to leadership who fear the Holy Spirit speaking directly to their congregation, and I've been the one who bows to fear, insecurity, a sense of worthlessness and so on, to the point of not trusting, and not following God's voice.
I heard God's voice for myself, and for one reason or another, silenced it.
* I just had a picture of God waking Joseph, only to have Joseph roll over and, as he pulls the covers up over his shoulder, say, "I couldn't be bothered, God... I'm too tired." Imagine if he had of...
Gee, I've been saying that to God for months - if not years. I grew weary in doing good, and have often found myself saying, "I couldn't be bothered, God. I'm too tired. I give up. Send someone else..." and so on.
:( Sorry, God.
So when God asks me, "Where is the Joseph Generation?" I can answer only for myself, and from experience, and say, "Here I am, God; hiding in the shadows, God..." before repenting and saying, "Here am I, God. Speak..."