Mirror, Mirror on the wall...

Sorry for the delay, last night the server was down.

Let's Recap. I have started a study on the names of God. This week, the focus has been on IMMANUEL (God With Us). Part of this study is to incorporate the name and characteristic into prayer, specifically praising and thanking God for being with me/us, learning to identify where he is evident in my life, even when I don't want him there (deep down inside I do, but its easier to blame him then me).

In addiction and recovery, (really anyone's mind), God plays an important role. Step 2 of the 12 steps states "We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." Step 3 states: "We made a decision to turn our wills and our lives over to the care of God..." Many people find these two steps difficult. Each name used to describe God portrays a characteristic he possesses according to our understanding of him (HEALER, FATHER, DADDY, FRIEND, SAVIOR, MASTER, VENGEFUL, ETC.) However, in our minds what often takes place is simple transference. God begins to take on the characteristics of authority figures from our past. If you had parents who were abusive while you were a child, either physically or sexually, authority figures who were never there, who didn't provide, who only dealt out punishment rather than love and compassion, then odds are God too begins to take this image in your mind. Do I truly want a God like that to be with me? First and foremost, it is time to separate lies from reality. If you read previous posts or especially the Bible, you will find that God loves us, is there for us, loves justice.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:9 - 12
Once we have realized this important piece of information on who God is, we can begin to surrender to his will and embrace the fact that He is with us. The Bible gives us specific examples of how he is with us, how he wants to be with us. When was the last time you looked in a mirror and reflected upon the reflection looking back?
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John 4:41
The spirit of God lives in us. We should (I should) reflect that. I know often times I don't. Often times I get bogged down with a distorted image looking back at me, accusations, guilt, shame, sin, pride. All those things that bring me down and cause me to turn from my God. Jesus tells us that we are the light, a city on a hill, the salt of the earth. Others should see Christ in us and know we are children of God.
When I was 17, I was able to spend 2 months in Namibia Africa. It was an incredible and difficult time of my life however, I remember meeting with a small family (my ministry group and I) and they were not having anything we were talking with them about. They didn't want to hear about God and the message of the Gospel. So we decided to take our leave and journeyed up a hill that was right behind their huts (literally). As we sat there, we prayed. We asked God to shine through us, apparently our words were doing nothing so we gave it over to God. At the end of our prayer time, we journeyed back down the hill. The same family asked us to join them for a small meal, a token of their appreciation for spending time with them. They offered us a few small pieces of Goat and some "sour milk" (not pleasant). We were humbled that they would give us some of what was already so little to eat. As we partook, the man of the house told us. "we see something in you, you all are good people, you come, you eat our food, you smile, we see good in you" God was shining his love through us. I do not know if this family came to know God, but I do know God revealed himself that day. Every day I try to pray this prayer, that God will reveal himself through me, through my smile, my attitude, my actions. He is with me and in me. Our physical reflection may not ever be perfect, but I pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will wash over those imperfections and that we can begin to allow HIS perfection to shine through us.