Friday, April 13, 2012

Whose face - 1 Sam 15:1-17:31

 And they did. The Kenites evacuated the place.(15:6)

Saul was marching in to completely destroy the Amalekite but, the Kenites were warned beforehand to get out.

At what point do you give up and evacuate?

My prayer for those that are in Christ is that they live in the world - yet are not part of the world.  There is a separation.  Needs to be or else we become as the world - the Amalekites.  One day when Christ returns all will be destroyed.  Those outside of Him will perish into hell.  That's it - that is all He wrote.  After that there are no more chances. 

This verse has given me thoughts though of how long do you "camp out" with some people of the world.  We are here to make disciples - that is our utmost job.  How long do you "work" before moving on?  I firmly believe that I am seed planter, not a harvester.  I know that in His vast family He brings up behind my seed planting, harvesters of souls.  We all have different roles and I am okay with mine.  The problem I have though is I don't really know when to move on.  I pray and listen for His lead and try to do my best.  If I see that it is a toxic relationship, I "evacuate".  I just want to be sure that I am not "jumping ship" before knowing if the 'ship" is even sinking.  Are some things that I am viewing as toxic - really just me taking things too personal?  Am I really focused on His face and not my own and miss out on an opportunity to plant a seed for Him?  Am I so concentrated on seed planting that I am only looking ahead and not where He has me and missing the people?   I pray that He will change my heart to be more like His.  That I am so in tune to His, there is no question about where I am sowing seed and for how long.

I used to think that a woman's face reveals what is in her heart by the age of 40.  Today with the world being more about self, people are becoming harder and I feel it is in the early 30's.  Really look into a woman's face and you'll see what I mean.  A woman in Christ becomes more beautiful with age. 

But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart."(16:7)

You see, I don't want to be caught up with the outside of life.  I don't want my past, or the garbage I bring along,to interfere with my seed planting.  I don't want to miss a moment for Him because my selfish heart gets in the way.  I want to be at the point where I don't even see the outside of a person, their status, etc.  I want to see their heart and their needs.  To put myself in their shoes so to speak. 

I want God to look into my heart and see Himself.

1 comment:

Julia said...

I loved that verse 16:7 as well, and it is so true! In this world people are judged by their physical beauty, or their status. The heart is the soul, and that is where true beauty lays.
Some of the best opportunities I have had to plant seeds was using my "old garbage" as testimony to show others that they can turn from their old ways, and that He loves us so much that He nailed our sins to the cross and died for us!
Colossians 2:11-15
New King James Version (NKJV)

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins[a] of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Our God is so awesome!