How lonely and fearful we are without (and sometimes with) Christ. We hide. We must know good from evil even before we're taught. We are taught what is good and evil by another human being. But we know what we do will displease them and bring wrath. So we hide what we know is unacceptable to them. We fear disapproval. A child must be taught, but what happens when the child reaches a time when he discovers that he can do what he wants as long a no one catches him? He hides within himself. There is a room no one can enter, and there he stores up all his rebellious treasure. As he stores up these treasures, he becomes more and more alone with himself.
Then one day he discovers there is someone he can't hide anything from. All those hateful, evil things he hides from everyone else, he can't hide from this person. This person invades his secret place and loves him anyway. This person says "You can't hide from Me. I know everything about you."
This place where I keep all my treasure is flooded with light. Now I want to be an open book to be read by anyone with eyes to see. As long as I fear what everyone else thinks of me, I will still be a closed book. Only this time my treasure will be light instead of darkness. This light permeates every bit, tiny bit of shadow.
I find to some, my light doesn't make me any more acceptable than my darkness did. So, if like a child desiring to be acceptable to all, I hide this beautiful treasure, this light, who is my God? I am already acceptable to one who calls Himself God. He made it so because of His great love, not because of my ways, thoughts, or actions. For all have fallen short of who God is.
But, from the beginning, he created man to be made in His image. Know Him, you know who we were created to be. That is amazing! We try to make something of ourselves by what we do and accomplish in life, when the greatest accomplishment is to be who He created us to be.
There is "NO" condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He even provided the perfect way for us to accomplish who we were ordained to be. John 3:16.
He know it all -- every shadow I ever tried to keep hidden! Lord, help me! Not to hide the shadows or the light. I want to be an open book. "Fear not. I am with you always, in shadow or light. I will NEVER leave you!
Bless you, Lord! Joshua 1:9 Jeremiah 29:11 Isaiah 43:1-2 Psalm 46:10.
Amazing grace, my light! A new creation in progress, to His image.
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