Thursday, April 18, 2013

You Can't Hide From God – 1 Kings 22: 34a

34 Just then someone, without aiming, shot an arrow randomly into the crowd and hit the king of Israel in the chink of his armor. 
– 1 Kings 22: 34a



You Can't Hide From God
This is a great story!  the king of Israel is going into battle but the prophet Micaiah tells him God is going to deliver him into the hands of his enemy, the King of Aram.  Being the wimp that he is, Israel's king decides to put his kingly robes on Jehoshaphat and send him out on the royal chariot so that he (the king of Israel), can hide amongst the other soldiers.  Just then . . . 

This is a great illustration that shows how God will always find us, no matter how much we try to hide from Him. And even though we aren't going into battle (most of us aren't anyway), there are things we try to hide from God every day – things like responsibilities, weaknesses, abilities, and sins.  But God sees it all.  He knows every thought and every intention.  He will not allow us to continue hiding and trying to avoid the plans He has for us . . . He Loves Us THAT Much!

"Not me," you say?  Well let's think about that for a minute . . . 
  • Are you doing what God has called you to do?  ALL that He's called you to do?  Or has "life" and circumstances kept you from putting all your efforts into His call on your life?  
  • Are you putting on a "brave" face so that everyone at church thinks you are on top of your own life?  All the while you are hurting on the inside and your soul is crying out for someone to care but you're too proud to let anyone know, and you're too proud to cry out to God and to give voice to your pain.  
  • How about this . . . when you're all alone . . . all by yourself . . . are you giving in to that "secret" sin?  You know the one.  It's the recurring "chink" in your armor that has kept you from realizing your God-given potential because you keep it hidden from everyone else's eyes and you've even convinced yourself that God is OK with it because well, . . . He's the one that made you that way in the first place.
The bottom line is this . . . no matter what it is, no matter where you go, no matter how hard you try to keep things hidden and "under control," God will not be denied, and He will find you and expose your "secret" one way or another.  The key to not being caught like a deer in the headlights, is to open yourself up to all that God has for you.  Give Him ALL that you are!  Cry out to Him and ask Him to take the hidden things from your life and to help you overcome the chinks in your armor so that you can walk in the freedom He has planned for your life.  

God wants an open and honest relationship with each of us.  Let's show Him that we Love Him enough to honor Him with a totally open life . . . nothing hidden . . . no secrets . . . no playing games.  Let's be ALL God has designed us to be so we can show this skeptical world that our God is THE God . . . the God of the Angel Armies, Who sees all, Who knows all, and Who reveals all.

Prayer
Father, thank You for reminding us of our need to be transparent to You.  Forgive us for trying to hide the difficult things of our lives.  Help us to trust and to have confidence in Your Love and Forgiveness.  May our lives be open books to Your ever-searching eyes oh Lord.

Have a Blessed day everyone!

– Richard



 

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