Pay Attention

"It's amazing the things you notice when you're paying attention." That's what I tweeted as I waited on the bus. This was in reference to the Toyota Yaris. I had driven one over the weekend and now begun to see them everywhere. In that moment I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 That's a promise statement and a fact. Guaranteed, if you're looking, seeking after God you are going to find Him. I began paralleling this with my car experience. When I drive in a car I know how it runs; what it looks like, it's shape. Once I've experienced it I know what to look for if I need to find it. But not only that, I know it when I see it because I've had a personal encounter with it. I can see it from a distance and know almost certainly that that's a particular make of car.  That is the analogy that unfolded in my spirit as it relates to seeking God. When we encounter Him personally, we become more familiar with a particular aspect of him. If we're paying attention we'll know Him, even "from a distance" in that capacity. Hebrews says that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. I'm understanding the diligence to be that active part of seeking. Reading the Word so that we learn His character traits, praying, fasting, positioning our minds and hearts in His direction. He rewards that, by "showing up." He reveals Himself. He's always present. He says He'll never leave or forsake and we know that He is omnipresent. But many times we don't notice Him because we aren't paying attention. We're not looking for Him. We have to start seeking and earnestly seeking, just like David said "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you." Ps 63:1 It's an active search. Striving for, inquiring of, frequenting a path. Nothing about seeking God is a "one step and its over" type search. You have to put your entire self into it. As the scripture says, your whole heart. It's continual. But it's not a futile search. It is not in vain. His Word says that we WILL find Him when we search. That should push me forward. Lord I pray for the desire to seek you whole heartedly. That the momentary discomforts or inconveniences will not deter me from seeking your face. I am promised that I will find you and on that Word I stand. Fan the flame within me to earnestly seek you. To see you throughout my day and know that it's you.  

Where yo' head at?!

Hey all, haven't posted in a while but figured I would after reading. Sooooo most everyone, Religious or not, knows the story of Samson and Delilah. Or at least has an idea of it. It has been referenced in pop culture as well as religious sectors (Judges 16:4-22).I was reading this passage today as part of a Women's devotional. Each day looks at a different woman in the Bible and sees how God was or wasn't in her life, etc. I was suppose to concentrate on Delilah but I could do nothing else but focus on Samson. The entire time I was wondering, "Where his head at?" Yes, I used improper grammar but it was most certainly necessary for this passage. Now I know some may say, "You know where his head was," LOL and obviously he was only trying to appease her so he could get some. (If you don't know what "getting some" is, you have not lost your innocence, bless God!) Samson finally tells her the secret to his strength after she nags him for days. Like for real though?!

Here's what I realized as I read this story today. Delilah's nagging should not have gotten to Samson at all. I know a woman's nagging is like a dripping faucet and no one likes to hear it continue (great analogy by the way Solomon). But Samson should have recognized it for what it was. I began thinking about us as believers. We start off well. We don't succumb to the enemy's tactics, his lies, his persuasions.......at first. But somewhere in the midst of it he begins to nag. He says or does things that get under our skin and because we don't want to be bothered or because we're so annoyed by what's happening we give in. The thing is, the enemy's end result, his purpose for coming at us, isn't going to change just because we have changed our position. Every time Delilah asked Samson "what makes you so strong" it ended with her shouting "Samson! The Philistines are coming!" I'm not sure if Samson realized the purpose of her asking for his secret. It was plainly obvious after the first three times, so the next time wouldn't have been any different. 

The enemy is pretty persistent. His aim is to break you down; to get you to lose focus of your purpose, of the plan God has for you; to kill you if possible. We are suppose to persevere no matter how much he tries. Paul exhorts in Ephesians to put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the enemy's scheme. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the evil day comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Eph 6:13) 

Let's take a lesson from Samson. Be alert and aware of the tactic that the enemy is using against us. Don't let him take our focus away from the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. And walk clothed in the armor of God so that we can stand against all the dripping faucet type schemes he sends. We must remember that our Father loves us, Jesus won the victory for us and the Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we are never alone.

Blessings til next time!

Reflection

I'm sitting here and I realize just how blessed I am. And sometimes you think about being blessed because of the stuff that you receive but I'm thinking about how blessed I am also to be able to give and pour out. I'm surrounded by people who love God and love each other and give and give and give, and also how those same people I am able to pour out to and give of myself. I can honestly see in every aspect of my life where God's hand is there; His love is there, His mercies are there, His word is there and how it is poured out through people. I started crying just thinking about it; not sad tears but really really happy tears. I see His love all around and it's so evident more and more, each day that I walk with Him. I never want to lose the place of being grateful and seeing His love. I want to always see His glory in my life through people and circumstances and always know that He is with me; that He loves me and He loves others just as much as He loves me.