Where you are right now is God's place for you....

I have been working on reacquainting myself and our children with the 10 commandments

1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not give false testimony.
10. You shall not covet.

I remember having to memorize these before my first communion in 8th grade. I dreaded it. The 10 commandments and the Lord’s prayer. The 10 commandments, I usually just took them for granted and as for the Lord’s prayer, that I clung to…even though my heart did not belong to the Lord. I think it was my only form of prayer for years, especially through my teen years. Now as I am growing physically and spiritually, I have a desire to understand what I have been taught to believe and what I pray. Not only understand, but have these truths, these pleas to be embedded in my heart for what they are…not just because I was taught to memorize them.

Starting a relationship with Jesus was far too long to wait, but it was all in His good timing. I want something very different for my children. Yes, I want them to have a head knowledge for the word of God and to follow the example of Christ….but that is meaningless unless their hearts are His. We are doing our best to not get caught up in the power of knowledge, but focus more on the power of Christ…a true loving relationship with Him. Anyone can read and learn the Bible, but to truly understand, to truly be saved, our hearts have to be His.

I was listening to a sermon about how to communicate the gospel to a child. It was very good, at the same time, many of us need to know how to communicate the gospel to adults….including ourselves. So often the gospel is “dumbed down” or conformed to the likeness of the age, supposedly to reach a new generation. When reading this scripture, it reaffirmed something stirring in my soul for quite some time now.

“This is what each of you keeps on saying to his friend or relative: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?” or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ But you must not mention ‘the oracle of the Lord again’ because every man’s word becomes his oracle* and so you distort the words of the loving God, the Lord Almighty, our God.” Jeremiah 23:35-36 (niv)

Yes, sharing our heart, what Jesus has done for us is important. But lets not forget who God is and why He gave us His words. His words are just that....the words of God. God is greatness beyond our comprehension. So often when sharing, listening to others, we will form an image in our minds of what the other person might be experiencing and compare it with what we have experienced or some knowledge we have gained. We need to be very careful not to create God in our image or speak on behalf of Him in telling someone God’s will for their particular situation. Yes, we are to encourage, listen and share….but we must remember who God is.

“Am I only a God nearby,”
declares the Lord,
“and not a God far away?
Can anyone hide in secret places
so that I cannot see him?”
declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”
declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:23-24 (niv)

This is such an in depth thought, the heart behind the matter could fill the pages of many books….and it has, the Bible. This again, reaffirms the importance of each of us being accountable for the truths we embrace. There are many false teachings out there.

“I have heard what the prophets** say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions*** of their own minds? They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their father forgot my name through Baal worship. Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, let the one who has my word speak it faithfully…..” Jeremiah 23:25-28 (niv)

We are responsible to take them to the Author of all creation to ensure we are walking in the ways of life that we have been called to, to be content in those steps, no matter what they may be.

We all struggle and Christ is there not only to show us the way, but to hold our hand…even scoop us up in His arms…when the darkness seems to be so overwhelming.

“And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.” 1 Corinthians 7:17 (the message)

Our time here on earth is a learning process. We must question what we don’t understand, eternity is to precious of a gift to be thrown away on what is temporary. Christ’s blood came at too precious of a price to be ignored or taken lightly.


*Oracle: a prophecy (usually obscure or allegorical) revealed by a priest or priestess; believed to be infallible
Infallible: incapable of failure or error
**Prophet: someone who speaks by divine inspiration; someone who is an interpreter of the will of God
***Delusion: a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea