Do you keep God
on the shelf? In His Word 11/13/23
“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. Luke 8:16-17
We have a hurricane lamp candle holder. We rarely use it except during power outages or special occasions like Christmas, or parties, or that sort of thing.
Looking at
it this morning, having dusted it yesterday and decorated it for Thanksgiving;
I thought about how it is a light that rarely gets lit. From there I ran down a
rabbit trail and thought that it is like how many people treat God. Many people
seem to put God on a shelf and only pull Him down when they need him to light
the way in a storm, or when they feel weak and powerless.
Now this
trail led me to a thought of my nephew when he was small and had walked up to a
refrigerator opened it and stood there looking inside. “I need something!” he
stated loud enough for everyone in the house to hear. We know where the food
comes from, where to get the help we need.
I Look up to
the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! Psalm 121:1-3
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. Luke 12:34-36
Do not hide Christ's work in your life, instead let Him shine like a lantern or a candle in the darkness of this world!
The next month or so will be either a powerful time of
sharing God’s love with those around you like you never have before or it will
be one that you play ‘where is God’ each day. You make the choice.
Don’t treat
God like the Elf on the Shelf, but seek Him each morning with more energy than
kids look for the Elf with! Take Him off
the shelf and place Him into your life’s events. Even in the boring days before
the holidays you can pull out the light and let it shine!
Each day when you awake I challenge you to seek Him, give Him praise and gratitude for the things He has done in your life if only for the roof over your head and the blanket to keep you warm.
Seek the
Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked
change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to
the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek Him, give Him praise, thank God for the
things He has done, then ask Him to give you a Word for the day that will keep
you strong in your resolve to seek Him every day!
The next
challenge is to keep Him off the shelf! Tell people each day a good thing about
Jesus and share with them something great He has done for you!
When you
seek Him, you will find Him when you seek Him with your whole heart!
In Jesus’
name