I finished my cleaning, then called Bekah upstairs for a chat. I let her know that it was not acceptable to stuff things out of sight instead of putting them in their proper place, and that if she hid things under the chair in the future, said belongings would become my property for a week. (That is all it will take. Bekah is generally obedient...BUT she does not want to lose anything, even if it is only a week.)
After this behavior was dealt with, I began to see myself as Bekah, only on a spiritual level. Are there things in my life—attitudes, failings, sin—that I choose not to deal with, but rather stuff in a hidden place? Yet He sees.
Psalm 139 says it clearly.
1O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
I love how EVERYTHING speaks of Him, if we only have eyes to see and ears to hear. Even curled-up, hidden, little-girl nightgowns. Most of us are very adept at hiding ... hiding our sins (we think), hiding our selves. Thank you, Cheryl, for the reminder that He is the God Who Sees. He sees it all. His forbearing love is truly more than we deserve and more than amazing. When we glimpse the truth of all that He sees and forgives, it makes us want to bow down low at His feet and adore.
ReplyDelete"When we glimpse the truth of all that He sees and forgives, it makes us want to bow down low at His feet and adore."
ReplyDeleteYes, Frances, these words are so very true! (You have a gift of putting truth into beautiful words!)
The last part 23-24 is one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI try to pray that often.
Its amazing that He makes us want to be so much better than we are.And loves us so much even when He knows all of our flaws.