Judges, a time when the people should have been enjoying their Promised Land, but they were not. Why? They had dealt with the sin that was within. They saw what they were hiding and what they had been holding on to. Now they were living in their land, but they were still under much strife and there was still no rest. Why?
"Incomplete removal of evil often means disaster in the end." The people compromised with wickedness and they had to face that a compromise really means infiltration. Chapter 1, "But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, who had iron chariots....The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem.... The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan." On and on, Israel failed to completely rid the land of the people who already lived there. "So what," you say. "Whats the big deal? Can't we all just live in peace?"
Wisdom is right by what results from it. Because of their failure to completely drive out the deeply rooted sin in the land, "They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.” (2:3)
A compromise, because they were tired of fighting. A compromise, because they saw how powerful the people were and they were intimidated by them. A compromise that really was disobedience. So often we compromise on something that seems so small, but is really a very big deal. We cover it over with the illusion that it will not hurt us and we think we are really doing what is best for us. The truth is, we are settling and we are afraid to face the challenge of completely removing that sin from our land. The result is a spiritual, moral, decline that turns our heart away from the tenderness of God.
What happens when I surround myself with others who are tender to their families? I become tender and more patient with my own. What happens when I surround myself with others who love the LORD and who are truly seeking Him? Their fire helps mine burn hotter. The same goes for the reverse. Their love will infiltrate us, whatever that love is. The trick is being able to separate myself enough, so that I can keep the vision clear. If I can keep His will for my life in full view, then I can completely clear the land and live in peace. All too often, I compromise. I focus on my own past failures so much that I forget. I fail to hold others accountable and let their sin go on. Which in turn starts a cycle of complacency and disobedience in my own life. If I fail to clear the land around me of sin, this will always come back to haunt me and ultimately keep me in the cycle of sin, myself.
Oswald Chambers, "The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is 'Christ in you..." (Colossians 1:27)... Sanctification means the impartation of the holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me. It is the gift of His patience, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every sanctified soul... The perfection of everything is in Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, I slowly but surely begin to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness— '...kept by the power of God...' (1 Peter 1:5)."
Who are we allowing to live in our land? How are they affecting us? Are we living a changed life through the power of Christ in us? Or are we being infected by those who are being allowed to live with us? If I stop and really think about it, I can see the truth. The hard part is the follow through once I have seen. The hard part is facing what seems so much stronger than I am. This is when I must turn to God and remember that it is He who will ultimately fight the fight for me, but He is waiting for me to trust and obey.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Be Strong and Courageous
The battle begins. They are standing on the promised land, but they must fight to get it. The corruption and the idolatry in the land are great. The people who already live in the land sacrifice their own children to their gods and they prostitute themselves in their temples. The purging of the land is brutal. There must be no remnants, of what use to be. They must get rid of everything in order to live peacefully in their promised land. But as in any battle there were some obstacles within that stood in their way.
"We are never closer to defeat than in our moments of our greatest victories." Jericho's mighty walls collapsed under the mightier hand of God. Their first victory was a slaughter. Ai, an easy second battle. "There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.” (Joshua 7:3) "So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated."
Why was there such victory followed by a defeat that should have been an easy battle? Joshua cried out to the LORD asking, "why He had done this?" Why? "But the Lord said to Joshua, 'Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? Israel has sinned and broken my covenant!...'" One man's sin made the entire Israel family suffer. His sin brought destruction on the whole mission and until his sin was dealt with, they could not move forward. But after that sin was purged from the camp, the fighting continued and the enemy was afraid.
Still, one more lesson to learn. Trickery and deceit was next. "But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves...'We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us.' The Israelites replied to these Hivites, 'How do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.' They replied, 'We are your servants.' 'But who are you?' Joshua demanded. 'Where do you come from?'.... So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord." (9:1-13)
Two very large mistakes were made in the beginning of the seven year battle in conquering the Promised Land. First, holding on to what one saw as valuable. That "valuable" thing cost him his Promised Land. If he had waited upon the LORD then he could have had so much more, but he did not and what should have been an "easy" battle was followed by a great defeat. Next, "they did not consult the Lord." Moses was the most humble man who ever lived and he never made a rash decision. Before he ever agreed to anything, he always consulted the LORD first. Joshua did not consult the LORD and was bound to a treaty that he should have never made.
Nothing is easy about entering into a new land. Nothing. There are sins revealed that you would never realize you were struggling with. Things that you are holding on to, that want to hold you back. The temptation is to bury those sins and pretend you don't have them, but the purging will continue and they must be expelled. You want to make peace with things that seem to you to be from a distant land. A land that you will never have to see, but if you do not consult the LORD, you will be deceived and have to live with a treaty you were never meant to keep.
The light at the end of the tunnel: “Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord said... “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong and courageous..." (10) After the sin from within is dealt with, there is victory. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous. The victory is coming and the LORD will win the battles for you, but you must fight. It is hard and the purging hurts to the deepest of your being, but afterward, there is great reward. Before you can win any battle, the hardest battle to face, is the one from within. “Do not be afraid,” the Lord said... “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong and courageous..." Deal with what is in you. Do not cower in fear of what you may see. For afterwards, there is the great reward of your Promised Land is near.
"We are never closer to defeat than in our moments of our greatest victories." Jericho's mighty walls collapsed under the mightier hand of God. Their first victory was a slaughter. Ai, an easy second battle. "There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.” (Joshua 7:3) "So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated."
Why was there such victory followed by a defeat that should have been an easy battle? Joshua cried out to the LORD asking, "why He had done this?" Why? "But the Lord said to Joshua, 'Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? Israel has sinned and broken my covenant!...'" One man's sin made the entire Israel family suffer. His sin brought destruction on the whole mission and until his sin was dealt with, they could not move forward. But after that sin was purged from the camp, the fighting continued and the enemy was afraid.
Still, one more lesson to learn. Trickery and deceit was next. "But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves...'We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us.' The Israelites replied to these Hivites, 'How do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.' They replied, 'We are your servants.' 'But who are you?' Joshua demanded. 'Where do you come from?'.... So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord." (9:1-13)
Two very large mistakes were made in the beginning of the seven year battle in conquering the Promised Land. First, holding on to what one saw as valuable. That "valuable" thing cost him his Promised Land. If he had waited upon the LORD then he could have had so much more, but he did not and what should have been an "easy" battle was followed by a great defeat. Next, "they did not consult the Lord." Moses was the most humble man who ever lived and he never made a rash decision. Before he ever agreed to anything, he always consulted the LORD first. Joshua did not consult the LORD and was bound to a treaty that he should have never made.
Nothing is easy about entering into a new land. Nothing. There are sins revealed that you would never realize you were struggling with. Things that you are holding on to, that want to hold you back. The temptation is to bury those sins and pretend you don't have them, but the purging will continue and they must be expelled. You want to make peace with things that seem to you to be from a distant land. A land that you will never have to see, but if you do not consult the LORD, you will be deceived and have to live with a treaty you were never meant to keep.
The light at the end of the tunnel: “Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord said... “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong and courageous..." (10) After the sin from within is dealt with, there is victory. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous. The victory is coming and the LORD will win the battles for you, but you must fight. It is hard and the purging hurts to the deepest of your being, but afterward, there is great reward. Before you can win any battle, the hardest battle to face, is the one from within. “Do not be afraid,” the Lord said... “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong and courageous..." Deal with what is in you. Do not cower in fear of what you may see. For afterwards, there is the great reward of your Promised Land is near.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Of the World
Deuteronomy 48ff, "That same day the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river, and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession. Then you will die there on the mountain. You will join your ancestors, just as Aaron, your brother, died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.'”
I have often wondered why God treated Moses so harshly when he struck the rock instead of talking to it. (Numbers 20:9-13) So what, so he struck the rock instead of talking to it. Whats the big deal? Was God unfair to Moses? Was He being unreasonable?
I feel we all have some kind of calling on our lives. At times, I can become overwhelmed with the job that I feel God is giving me. At times, I would like to turn to my old familiar ways of dealing with things and get lost in a moment and forget my responsibilities. There are many of us who feel this way, but we all are responsible for how we handle stresses and what it looks like, to others, in how we handle them. Moses had a huge responsibility in showing the people who God was. God had a certain role for Moses to play. Moses lost his cool and did not demonstrate God's power, but his own. This was the "big" deal that lost him the promised land. "You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people..."
So often people see us. They see us and see how we worship our God, but they also see us in how we handle this life outside of our church walls. This is where God is holding us accountable. Do others see His changing power through our lives? Do they see that He is truly part of us, or do they hear the words, but see something different? Moses did not loose his position with God. Moses joined his ancestors beside God when he died. This is not about loosing your salvation, but about loosing your promise land. It is about loosing our rights to represent God to others. It is about God pulling you aside and not allowing you to go forth in front of others to represent His holiness. It is about being set aside as different. Are we different from others? Have we really changed how we act around our home? Do we handle our stresses differently? Do we handle our fun differently? If we talk about a spiritual transformation, has there really been a change in our own life? If it is by the power of God that we are transformed, I hope so. Can others pull you out of the crowd you are in and say you are different. Or is it just the words you say that make you feel you are different. That is by definition, hypocrisy.
“When you fall into sin, the smallest price you pay is only the wounding you bring to yourself-- You grieve the heart of God and embarrass the community of Christ” (RZ). How are we living out our lives with God in front of others?
There have been so many things that I would have liked to have done, but I did not. I cannot go out and party. There are many things that I do that really are not sin in my heart, but because others are watching me, (and this thing may cause them to stumble) I do not do these certain things in public. I have to be conscious of how it looks to others. I have to. It is my responsibility to God who has called me to be different, so that my life may demonstrate His holiness.
I have shared all of my struggles. I have allowed others to see how truly weak I am on my own. Now I am being called to demonstrate through my life, how God can change us and make us strong. No matter what I do or where I am, I am being watched. Can others see His power, or do they still just see my sin. Is my life still grieving God's heart? Am I an embarrassment to the community of Christ?
1 John 2:15, "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you." We are to live in this world, but we are not to be of this world. What do others see? Is my life demonstrating His holiness, or do others still just see me?
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/living-proof-with-beth-moore/listen/the-inheritance-from-dvd-8-of-9-200150.html
This is a link to Beth Moore..... She addresses this issue.
I have often wondered why God treated Moses so harshly when he struck the rock instead of talking to it. (Numbers 20:9-13) So what, so he struck the rock instead of talking to it. Whats the big deal? Was God unfair to Moses? Was He being unreasonable?
I feel we all have some kind of calling on our lives. At times, I can become overwhelmed with the job that I feel God is giving me. At times, I would like to turn to my old familiar ways of dealing with things and get lost in a moment and forget my responsibilities. There are many of us who feel this way, but we all are responsible for how we handle stresses and what it looks like, to others, in how we handle them. Moses had a huge responsibility in showing the people who God was. God had a certain role for Moses to play. Moses lost his cool and did not demonstrate God's power, but his own. This was the "big" deal that lost him the promised land. "You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people..."
So often people see us. They see us and see how we worship our God, but they also see us in how we handle this life outside of our church walls. This is where God is holding us accountable. Do others see His changing power through our lives? Do they see that He is truly part of us, or do they hear the words, but see something different? Moses did not loose his position with God. Moses joined his ancestors beside God when he died. This is not about loosing your salvation, but about loosing your promise land. It is about loosing our rights to represent God to others. It is about God pulling you aside and not allowing you to go forth in front of others to represent His holiness. It is about being set aside as different. Are we different from others? Have we really changed how we act around our home? Do we handle our stresses differently? Do we handle our fun differently? If we talk about a spiritual transformation, has there really been a change in our own life? If it is by the power of God that we are transformed, I hope so. Can others pull you out of the crowd you are in and say you are different. Or is it just the words you say that make you feel you are different. That is by definition, hypocrisy.
“When you fall into sin, the smallest price you pay is only the wounding you bring to yourself-- You grieve the heart of God and embarrass the community of Christ” (RZ). How are we living out our lives with God in front of others?
There have been so many things that I would have liked to have done, but I did not. I cannot go out and party. There are many things that I do that really are not sin in my heart, but because others are watching me, (and this thing may cause them to stumble) I do not do these certain things in public. I have to be conscious of how it looks to others. I have to. It is my responsibility to God who has called me to be different, so that my life may demonstrate His holiness.
I have shared all of my struggles. I have allowed others to see how truly weak I am on my own. Now I am being called to demonstrate through my life, how God can change us and make us strong. No matter what I do or where I am, I am being watched. Can others see His power, or do they still just see my sin. Is my life still grieving God's heart? Am I an embarrassment to the community of Christ?
1 John 2:15, "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you." We are to live in this world, but we are not to be of this world. What do others see? Is my life demonstrating His holiness, or do others still just see me?
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/living-proof-with-beth-moore/listen/the-inheritance-from-dvd-8-of-9-200150.html
This is a link to Beth Moore..... She addresses this issue.
Monday, July 11, 2011
WTO, West Texas Outfitters
WTO, the West Texas Outfitters. How could you know? My father had his group of buddies that he went hunting with. They dubbed their group the WTO. How could he know that they would all affect their children so profoundly? I am now 36 years old and they have been together since before I was born. In their plight to get away and go hunting together, our families were joined together. We were raised with this certain group of kids that were not our blood relatives, but now are our family. We watched our parents stick it out together. They have laughed together and cried together. They have been hurt by others and each other, but in their commitment to each other they have remained friends. What did we, as your children learn from you? Their are so many lessons! How can we count them all? But there is one that I will share, for it is an important lesson that our generation, as a whole, has forgotten.
How often do we allow someone to get just close enough to us that they offend us and we in turn dump them as our companion. "I am offended," we say, "and I do not have to take it from you." With our offense we abandon them as our friend and go away proudly holding on to our rights. We are a generation that has lost the ability to stick it out. We have lost our ability to build close relationships. We do not know what it means to live out a life with someone, because we do not know how to not get offended. So, we live out our life alone, not knowing where everyone has gone and we think it is their fault.
The WTO consists of 6 men and their wives. Out of this group of 6, 5 are still married to their fist wife, all are still friends. In our group of "kids" 50% of us have been divorced. Our generation has a "right" to leave if we find ourselves unhappy. None of us know of another person, or group of people, that has been more committed than our parents. They have stuck it out through the hard and good times. They have remained loyal and they understand what it means to forgive.
Galatians 5:22, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." I want to thank my WTO family for displaying the fruits of the Spirit for all of your children. Through your lives we have learned many lessons. We have seen you fall on your face. Then, because of your love for one another, we have watched you pick each other up and walk out this life together. None of us have walked out this life perfectly, we all still make many mistakes, but because of your example we are still learning from you and thank you for your example of commitment that our generation has lost. Because of your life, your children have something that many others do not have. We have an example of how to remain committed. We have an example of how to live out this life with others, and their faults. We have an example of how to make a true and lasting friend.
To the WTO, thank you. I am sorry for my part in not showing my life a better example of the life that you lived. There was a time when I bought the lies of my generation, but because of you, I now can see. I have played my part in our statistics, but for this next part of my life, I can do better. Thank you for showing me love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for sticking out this life together, so I can do better in the future and my children will learn this valuable lesson too. Exodus 20:6, "...I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands." Thank you, from all of us who follow after you, to be part of a beautiful blessing.
How often do we allow someone to get just close enough to us that they offend us and we in turn dump them as our companion. "I am offended," we say, "and I do not have to take it from you." With our offense we abandon them as our friend and go away proudly holding on to our rights. We are a generation that has lost the ability to stick it out. We have lost our ability to build close relationships. We do not know what it means to live out a life with someone, because we do not know how to not get offended. So, we live out our life alone, not knowing where everyone has gone and we think it is their fault.
The WTO consists of 6 men and their wives. Out of this group of 6, 5 are still married to their fist wife, all are still friends. In our group of "kids" 50% of us have been divorced. Our generation has a "right" to leave if we find ourselves unhappy. None of us know of another person, or group of people, that has been more committed than our parents. They have stuck it out through the hard and good times. They have remained loyal and they understand what it means to forgive.
Galatians 5:22, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." I want to thank my WTO family for displaying the fruits of the Spirit for all of your children. Through your lives we have learned many lessons. We have seen you fall on your face. Then, because of your love for one another, we have watched you pick each other up and walk out this life together. None of us have walked out this life perfectly, we all still make many mistakes, but because of your example we are still learning from you and thank you for your example of commitment that our generation has lost. Because of your life, your children have something that many others do not have. We have an example of how to remain committed. We have an example of how to live out this life with others, and their faults. We have an example of how to make a true and lasting friend.
To the WTO, thank you. I am sorry for my part in not showing my life a better example of the life that you lived. There was a time when I bought the lies of my generation, but because of you, I now can see. I have played my part in our statistics, but for this next part of my life, I can do better. Thank you for showing me love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for sticking out this life together, so I can do better in the future and my children will learn this valuable lesson too. Exodus 20:6, "...I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands." Thank you, from all of us who follow after you, to be part of a beautiful blessing.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Illusions
This past week I went to Texas for a family reunion. Only it was not an ordinary family reunion. It was a reunion of friends. My dad had his hunting buddies my entire childhood. I grew up with their children and they are our extended family. They dubbed their group the WTO, West Texas Outfitters. What a wonderful time to see the people that I knew as a child. I now got to see them with their children and they got to see mine. It was time well spent and many lessons learned for me.
I must confess, before we left for Texas I was a basket case. We were going to spend our time together at the Gaylord Hotel. This hotel is based around its theme of water pleasure. There is a lazy river, water slide, large pool and other accommodations. The thought of having to spend my time in a bathing suit was not my idea of amity. I was excited to see my old friends, but I had seen pictures of them on Facebook and their pictures awakened an insecurity that I had thought was long gone. The insecurity of an illusion that no one can compete with. The illusion of the eye.
Let me explain:
When I was working at the club, I was the illusion. I knew how to work with that illusion and I knew how to play with the thoughts that entered through the eye gate. But after my days at the club were through, I discovered that while I was fulfilling a fantasy, I could not even compete with myself in the illusions that I would portray. My real life, the one that was not seen in the club, could not hold up to the fantasy that others would see. The true me could not compete with the illusion me. So here I was again looking at pictures on FB, illusions, of people. In my insecurity of my motherly body, my mind automatically went in competition of an illusion. Don't get me wrong. These women were stunningly beautiful. They worked out. I don't think I have done a situp in the last 10 years. But that is where the illusion is. It is in convincing yourself that you are in a competition with someone's outward appearance. Who can compete with that? There will always be someone prettier. There will always be someone more desirable physically. The outward appearance is the illusion.
This morning I have been reading in Numbers 22ff, the story of Balaam. In my cometary it says: "His story exposes the deception of maintaining an outward facade of spiritually over a corrupt inward life. Balaam was a man ready t obey God's command as long as he could profit from doing so... Who and what we are will somehow come to the surface, destroying any masks we may have put on to cover up our real selves. Efforts spent on keeping up appearances would be much better spent on finding the answer to sin in our lives. We can avoid Balaam's mistake by facing ourselves and realizing that God is willing to accept us, forgive us, and literally make us over from within.... Lessons from his life; Motives are just as important as actions. Your treasure is where your heart is."
So what had to happen to me? I had to put on a bathing suit, go where I was least secure physically. Go back to the place where I used to draw my security from and face a facade that I thought was no longer an issue in my life. At first I failed the test. I bought the lie, but then I learned my lesson. I cannot put my value in what I look like. I cannot always cover up my most unflattering features and only allow others to see the illusion. I have to face who I am. I have to discover what gives me security and what illusions I am still trying to portray. We all must at sometime go back to where we came from. At some point we must face the facade and discover who we really are. Where are our securities found? Where is our treasure? What is our motive? In each and every situation that we find ourselves in, there is always a lesson to be learned. Sometimes those lessons are lessons that we thought we had conquered long ago.
I must confess, before we left for Texas I was a basket case. We were going to spend our time together at the Gaylord Hotel. This hotel is based around its theme of water pleasure. There is a lazy river, water slide, large pool and other accommodations. The thought of having to spend my time in a bathing suit was not my idea of amity. I was excited to see my old friends, but I had seen pictures of them on Facebook and their pictures awakened an insecurity that I had thought was long gone. The insecurity of an illusion that no one can compete with. The illusion of the eye.
Let me explain:
When I was working at the club, I was the illusion. I knew how to work with that illusion and I knew how to play with the thoughts that entered through the eye gate. But after my days at the club were through, I discovered that while I was fulfilling a fantasy, I could not even compete with myself in the illusions that I would portray. My real life, the one that was not seen in the club, could not hold up to the fantasy that others would see. The true me could not compete with the illusion me. So here I was again looking at pictures on FB, illusions, of people. In my insecurity of my motherly body, my mind automatically went in competition of an illusion. Don't get me wrong. These women were stunningly beautiful. They worked out. I don't think I have done a situp in the last 10 years. But that is where the illusion is. It is in convincing yourself that you are in a competition with someone's outward appearance. Who can compete with that? There will always be someone prettier. There will always be someone more desirable physically. The outward appearance is the illusion.
This morning I have been reading in Numbers 22ff, the story of Balaam. In my cometary it says: "His story exposes the deception of maintaining an outward facade of spiritually over a corrupt inward life. Balaam was a man ready t obey God's command as long as he could profit from doing so... Who and what we are will somehow come to the surface, destroying any masks we may have put on to cover up our real selves. Efforts spent on keeping up appearances would be much better spent on finding the answer to sin in our lives. We can avoid Balaam's mistake by facing ourselves and realizing that God is willing to accept us, forgive us, and literally make us over from within.... Lessons from his life; Motives are just as important as actions. Your treasure is where your heart is."
So what had to happen to me? I had to put on a bathing suit, go where I was least secure physically. Go back to the place where I used to draw my security from and face a facade that I thought was no longer an issue in my life. At first I failed the test. I bought the lie, but then I learned my lesson. I cannot put my value in what I look like. I cannot always cover up my most unflattering features and only allow others to see the illusion. I have to face who I am. I have to discover what gives me security and what illusions I am still trying to portray. We all must at sometime go back to where we came from. At some point we must face the facade and discover who we really are. Where are our securities found? Where is our treasure? What is our motive? In each and every situation that we find ourselves in, there is always a lesson to be learned. Sometimes those lessons are lessons that we thought we had conquered long ago.
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