God's Cup of Grace

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Genesis 19:26

Before I started my reading of the Word of God this morning, I was enjoying a mug of Holiday Tea in my new favorite cup.  I received it from my brother and his girlfriend for Christmas this year, and I loved it the moment I laid eyes on it!  Its simple elegance and beautiful symbol of a born again believer's transformed heart and life daily touches my soul.  I can easily relate to the butterfly, and it is my favorite Christian symbol, second only to the cross.  I have always loved butterflies and the color purple, so this was an absolutely perfect gift!

Today, however, through this cup and my Scripture reading, the Lord spoke loudly to my heart.  As I enjoyed my tea and pondered the beauty of God's grace in my my life, so active every moment, and the 'butterfly' state of my spiritual life, I was struck instantly by this convicting thought:

"I am free!  Truly free!  So why do I continually climb back into the confines of my old cocoon and live like a bound worm!?"

As I contemplated the new creation that I have been since the day I recognized my need for a Savior, and how very often I live in my old flesh life, I opened the Word to read Genesis 19.  It was today's reading on a 2-year Bible reading plan.  Once again, God lined up all the pieces of my early morning 'tea thoughts' as my eyes fell upon verse 26.

"But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."

Conviction filled my heart as I realized how often I do exactly what Lot's wife did.  I look back (and even walk back) to the life from which I have been set free.  It is spiritually painful for me to see  my own actions and reactions in a woman that God turned to salt!

You see, when I have been extended great grace and have been given an opportunity to live a brand new life as a butterfly, and I choose to live even a moment of my life bound up in sin, the very cocoon of my life before Christ and His grace was showered upon me, I am just like Lot's wife.  She too was being saved from the life she had been living, having been given God's grace to for a new and pure life.  And neither of us deserved it.  Her old life called to her and she turned to look back one last time.  Sadly, it cost her her life.

By grace God has saved me and made me a new creation.  Daily I must fly like a butterfly and not return to my worm-like spiritual state.  I have to choose to no longer live in the bondage of my chrysalis of sin.  By grace I have been saved and set free from sin and death.  By grace my sin need no longer bind me or entangle me in its evil web.  

Today I choose to live in the freedom from sin that Christ attained for me on the cross.  Will you?

Another cup of God's grace for me, please . . . 

Stop Hiding--Gen. 44

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For twenty years, ten brothers hid a secret deep inside their hearts.  They had followed a devilish plan to get rid of their favored, tunic-ed, arrogant, little brother.  They lied to their father, causing him grief beyond words, their explanation calloused and unfeeling.  They went on with their lives as if nothing sinful had happened.  They could do that because they were now avenged, delighted that their brother would not be around any more.  Yes, they thought the trouble was over.  But it was only the beginning of the trouble they would feel in their hearts for the next two decades.

Little did they know that their sin was being woven into My perfect will for the entire nation of Israel.  Their extreme jealousy set into motion My plan to move all of Israel to Egypt, to a land where the natives would have NOTHING to do with foreigners.  My Israel, My precious nation, would dwell 430 years in a country in which they would never be allowed to integrate.  Israel would not be polluted by Egypt.  A pure and holy Israel was My desire.  But something must draw them to Egypt.  Enter a severe famine in all the land, and one man, Joseph, the favored brother, who would keep My Israel alive and unpolluted.   Evil used for good?  In My economy, I can use everything to bring about good.  And I chose to use the ugly sin of ten brothers to accomplish My good purposes.

I can also use your evil for good, but too often you are hiding, not from Me, but from the reality of the sin you have committed.  The ten brothers did, telling themselves many lies that they soon believed.  You, My precious one, do the same.  You cover your eyes as if to say to Me, "If I cannot see it, then maybe, just maybe, You won't see it as well."  So many times you ignore your sin instead of confessing it.  That is what happens when you cover your eyes to it.  When you cover your eyes, you have no ability to look into Mine.

Come to me, and remove your fingers slowly.  I know that it is painful for you to look at Me.  But look straight into My eyes.  In doing so you might still feel pain, but it will be much less severe than the pain you feel as you carry around in your heart the reality of who you are without Me. Dare to strategically move just one finger so that you can see Me.  My eyes are full of love and forgiveness.  My eyes will enfold you into Me.  Come, see, be set free . . . in Me.