RE:flect
So, who do you think was the volunteer to slowly step in to Jacob's tent to tell Daddy what happened? You know, you just can't run from your sins, irony or the Lord. I wondering why the brothers all began to tremble with their voices as they ask " What is this that God has done to us?" Why did their hearts sink inside them, what was going on in their minds?
Surely the irony here is that Jacob has not been told yet what really happened to JOSEPH! And the brothers have the chance here to tell Jacob the whole story from the begining. But they don't. Have you ever done that? A half-truth. "She hit me!" but you fail to mention the pieces of popcorn you are tossing at your sister in the car...
Think about it for a minute (RE:flect on it). "We are honest men; we are not spies," (verse 32). It is amazing here that God is working among such a weird breed of mankind. Almost as weird as that guy I see in the mirror each morning. All of this is for no good. They even cause their own father MORE despair as he is clueless as to the fate of Simeon.
RE:act
Okay. I think it is pretty clear that today's reflections are leading one challenge:
* Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!
Let's just be real again. Or for the first time. Are you ashamed to be imperfect? Are you ashamed to call out for help in your need? Are you ashamed to say that you can't make it without Jesus? Consider in the times that you have sat up in your room... no TV... no iPOD... no cell.... no computer.... grounded. What are the lies that you told yourself and others to get you there. Really, think about it. Do you think your parent's seriously sit there on their 10 minute break at 2pm thinking to themselves, "I would really like to go home and yell at my kid and ground them for no reason at all, maybe even embarrass them in front of their friends!" If we are courageous enough... we will see that our lies only hurt us (and they hurt our parents, like Jacob felt).
RE:ply
Lord, I need to face myself sometimes. And I need to stop feeding the fire of lies in my life. I need to just stop. I need to hate lies the way you hate them.
Lord, I need to develop a bitterness in my heart for anything that is not true, noble, praise worthy and right. Lord I need to find the desire to do your will, to follow your leading, to enjoy your word.
And Father, I know that you love me. And I don't look forward to it, I don't desire it. But I also know that you discipline those whom you love. And I know that you love me. Oh, how you love me.
I am sick and tired of trying to measure up. I am done trying to earn what I can never earn, trying to pretend my way into friendships. I am a pathetic mess without you, breading other messes.
Father, come and clean this mess, make it pure again. Make my words to become like the morning dew to the flowers. May my sentences be a pure as the deepest well water. May they be cool and refreshing to my life and the lives around me.
Take this mouth, this tongue and help me tame it.
"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: keep falsehood and lies far away from me; help me to not be poor or rich--but give me only my daily needs." (Proverbs 30:7-8)
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