Tammy L. Priest

Calvary Baptist Church

April 25, 2012

“Go!” I urged the car in front of me. 

I was running late, and now this crazy driver was actually braking as we approached a green light. 

I knew from our long approach to the intersection that the light had been green for awhile.  Maybe the slowing driver assumed it would turn yellow soon.  But it hadn’t.  It was still green.

“It’s green!” I pleaded through the windshield.  “Why are you braking?”

From the backseat, even my children joined in my rant. 

And then I heard another voice chime in.  “Why are you braking, Tammy?” 

I hate it when God takes my own words and convicts me with them.  Even more than when my children do it.  After all, I can chastise my children for sassing back. Not so with the God of Creation.

“I don’t know,” I admitted silently as we came to a stop at the light which had by now – of course – turned red.

Maybe you are stronger or more determined or more confident that I am.  But more often than not, I am terrified to do what the Lord tells me to do. 

First, I beg Him for an assignment.  Then He gives me one, and I start off absolutely gung-ho.  But as I dig in deeper, or an event draws closer, what do I do?  I hit the brake.

What if they think my lesson makes absolutely no sense?  

What if someone asks me a question I can’t answer? 

What if that publisher says “no?”  

What if this blog is the absolute worst thing anyone has ever written? 

What if the light turns yellow?

The truth is, if I were to let my insecurities take over, I’d stop at any indication that things may not go well.  What usually happens is that I keep moving forward, but I ride the brake the whole way instead of stepping confidently on the gas.  Just in case.

And so, as I entered this season of spring and new growth, my Father had a firm word for me.  A more patient word than I had for the hesitant driver, but also a much more authoritative one. 

If He’s telling me to start down a new road, then I need to get going.  If He tells me to keep going when it looks like I might meet some resistance, I should hit the gas, not the brake.  And if the Lord points me toward the more ominous-looking fork in the road, I cannot sit and idle the engine at the green light, while I form committees and focus groups to see if I might possibly take the easier way. 

After all, the God of all Creation prepared this task just for me.  And not only does He know what’s waiting at the destination, but He also knows every pothole and every sweet-smelling bloom I will encounter along the way.

He knows I will not just survive if I trust His direction, but I will ultimately thrive.

For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Is there something the Lord has called you to do that excites you but terrifies you at the same time? 

Has He planted a seed in your heart that you know He wants to nurture and grow, but you’re afraid of what others will think as you pursue that dream?

Do you secretly want the light to turn yellow – or even red – so you don’t have to complete the task?

Confide in Him all your fears and doubts – He can take it!  And then let God take you by the hand and lead you along the path that He has already walked and prepared just for you.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us… Hebrews 12:1 NAS

Prayer

Lord, I admit that sometimes I’m unsure about following your lead.  Help me to trust you more than I trust my own insecurities.  Help me to run with endurance the path that you’ve set out for me, not giving in to doubt and fear, so that I might bring glory to your Name and experience your abundant blessing in my heart.  Amen.

© Tammy L. Priest
www.beginningwithmoses.net

Luann Prater

Encouragement Café with Luann & Friends

April 18, 2012

Karen, during a morning run with her husband, watched him collapse and die.  

For two months she was strong for everyone around her, but Vicky saw a need in her friend. She invited her to an EXTREME event in March where she allowed God to encourage and begin to heal her broken heart.

Maybe you've been to more conferences than you can count and you believe this is just another one. This one may not be for you. 

Look around. Someone near you is hurting. 

God may be calling you to invite them. 

I can't describe an Encouragement EXTREME Event to you in 1 minute or less.  It is as individual as you are. What I can tell you is that God called us to offer His EXTREME encouragement to women.

If you are reading this, He has called you to invite someone. You are His hands and feet. 

This is an up close and personal encounter with Jesus. Who in your world needs His touch?

Carol Davis from Bill Graham Assoc, Dove Award winner Cheri Keaggy and Betty the artist along with a host of speakers will be there.  I'm Luann Prater with Proverbs 31 Ministries and I'm personally asking you to reach out to one who needs encouragement. 

Will you?

Grab a friend & watch God pour His EXTREME encouragement into your life. 

Extreme is a community-wide event and it's coming to Winston Salem April 20-21st hosted by Calvary Baptist. 

Details at www.EncouragementCafe.com

Ramona Davis

Encouragement Café with Luann & Friends

April 11, 2012

“Ramona, I’m so tired of you being lukewarm.” God branded those words on my heart like a hot iron in Oct. of 1998. 

Complacency; it is a subtle sin that is rampant among the body of Christ. None of us are immune to it. It’s easy to pick up a book instead of the Good Book,  turn on the TV instead of enjoying Him through His creation, and effortlessly hit the snooze button instead of getting up for quiet time with Jesus.

 I NEVER want to go back to the complacent life I was living, but I am learning how subtly this sin enters into my life. I've been praying for God to reveal any area where I am growing complacent, He is happy to oblige. I ask Him to alert me when my choices begin to slip into complacency.

I'm now aware of the crux of the problem, I resist Him. Perhaps you are quietly thinking, I love Jesus, I don’t resist Him. That was my first reaction too. Nevertheless I prayed, “Lord, show me where I am resisting you.” Turns out, I do it all the time. When I do, my heart grows a little more complacent.

I lovingly ask you to use this “list” as a time for self-examination, not condemnation. God is so merciful and compassionate in His discipline toward us. His unfailing love blots out our sins. Here’s part of what He's been showing me:

I resist His gift of forgiveness when I have difficulty forgiving myself for past sins and choose shame instead.

I resist His whisper to simply sit with Him and enjoy Him and the wonder of His creation. I choose busyness.

I resist His goodness and current provision which shows itself in discontent.

I resist His gift of peace and rest when I refuse to come to Him, fall into His arms with my heartaches, problems, hectic schedules and responsibilities, rather I choose to be stressed and depressed.

My list goes on and on, the point is, I resist Him. The truth is, I don’t want to. Being aware is half of the battle. I want to be aware of each time I am tempted to resist Him and immediately draw near to Him. I want to be totally and fully submitted to Jesus. I know you do too.

During your quiet time, I challenge you to ask the Lord where you may be resisting Him. Allow Him to put His compassionate hand on your heart and insert His spiritual thermometer.

 James 4:7,8 (NIV) Submit yourselves then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.

Prayer

Father God, we want to be women with hearts aflame for Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us see clearly the moment we begin to resist Him. We want to live our lives allowing you to work in us and through us to accomplish Your perfect will. May our passion for You continue to grow until the day we draw our last breath. May our devotion to You be so attractive to others, they will desire You. Help us to resist the devil and draw near to You. In the sweet name of Jesus, Amen

 © Ramona Davis

 www.encouragementcafe.com

Hebrews 13:15-16 (NIV) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Psalm 146:1-2 (NCV) Praise the Lord! My whole being, praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.

I am the daughter of a pastor. I’ve grown up in church my entire life. I’ve heard people say “Praise the Lord” for as long as I can remember. Often praises come after we’ve heard reports of how God has miraculously worked out a situation in a supernatural way. Sometimes we praise the Lord for a beautiful day. We praise the Lord after we’ve had a great time of bible study or worship together. Other times we praise the Lord when our favorite football team wins!  In all these cases we are acknowledging God’s hand and presence in a situation and often times our praises are offered because it has worked out for us in a favorable way. But did you know that we are also told to offer God our praise in situations that do not work out for us like we prayed? You didn’t get the job you wanted and needed so much. The cancer has returned. The baby you wanted so desperately has ended in miscarriage. A loved one has been taken too soon. These are not situations where you offer up praise to the Lord.

So why does Scripture tell us to give thanks and praise for all things? How are we to do that when our heart breaks and the situation did not turn out as expected? I don’t think that God expects us to turn around as soon as we hear the terrible prognosis and say, “Well thank you Jesus, just what I wanted.” No, He expects us to grieve, to mourn, to feel sadness, to feel pain. But He also wants us to remember there is hope. We serve a Risen Savior who has overcome every single adversity we have faced. A sick friend, an ailing parent, the loss of a child, a divorce, a terminal disease, and this cruel world has been covered by the blood of Christ. There is so much hope to know that God is there to lovingly cover us in his arms and listen as we weep with pain and grief.  He comforts us like no other person on this earth can do. He gives us the hope of the future. A future where He can use our story as we come out of the pain and grief and learn to give comfort to others who have faced our situation. He gives us hope for a place. There’s a place in heaven where many of our loved ones stand today and rejoice in the Holy Presence of God. A place where there will be no more sorrow, no more death, no more disease, and no more heartache. Christ is there today preparing a place for us and we will meet Him face to face one day. We don’t have to grieve like those who have no hope. We serve a God who is so much greater than us. Whose ways are not our ways and whose plans are not our plans. We serve a God who loves us unconditionally. Who gives us hope, who gives us Himself.

Are you struggling to find praise in the midst of a struggle? Praise Him for hope. Praise Him that there is more to life than this present situation. Praise Him for being the perfect comforter and counselor. We live in a fallen world and if God could prevent every bad thing from happening to us He would. Yet because of sin we all have to deal with the pain, the unfairness, and the heartache of life. He sent His Son to cover this sinful and hurtful world and through this most precious sacrifice He gave us hope, salvation, and life. Remind yourself of what you do know about God. He loves you, He created  you, He thinks you are the most precious thing in the world, He grieves with you, He is the author of perfection, He is our Hope and His Son, is Your Savior.

Prayer

O Lord, thank you that you love me and that you give me comfort unlike any other. Thank you that are a God who is well acquainted with all our grief and that you ache when I ache. Help me to remember that in the midst of struggles, trials, and utter heartbreak that you offer hope. You are the author hope and salvation and I praise you that through the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus, all things are put under your feet. Allow me to trust your heart and believe that there is more to life than the heartache of this world. Allow me to lean ever closer to you in the midst of fallen world. Thank you God for hope, peace, your love, your comfort, and your salvation.

© 2012 by Annah Matthews. All rights reserved.

www.calvarynow.com/women

Yuvonda Hendricks

Calvary Baptist Church

March 28, 2012

My granddaughter and I recently flew to Florida to visit my mother for a few days.  It was a blessing to spend time with both of them - walking the beach, shopping, attending a basketball game and helping mother with a few household chores.  The weather was fabulous and a wonderful break from the stress of school.

While driving to the airport to return home, Ansley began to share how much she enjoyed Florida and how she would love to live there.  “Everything happens in Florida, nothing happens in North Carolina”, she explained.  I began to share with her how much did happen in NC and how we had access to a variety of opportunities from the beach to the mountains.  Of course, she totally disagreed with her grandmother!

We stopped at a Wendy’s to get a bite to eat before getting to the airport.  Three high school students were at the counter and I asked how far we were from the airport.  They asked where we were going and when I said NC they each eagerly began to share why they would love to move to NC.  They all had family in NC and expressed how much fun they had on their visits.  I just looked at Ansley with an “I told you so” look and she could not believe what she was hearing.

There are so many times in my life that I expressed a desire to be somewhere else, different job, different car, different house, different clothes, different body, etc.  I am sure God was not pleased with my attitude.  He had a purpose for me right where He placed me and being discontent kept me from fulfilling the purpose He had for me at that moment.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11-12 (NIV)

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for all the blessings you have provided and the many opportunities to see you work in my life.  Thank you for providing in so many ways and teaching me to trust you in all areas of my life.  Help me to be content where you have placed me and give me your eyes to see what you desire of me in the place you have placed me. The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Proverbs 19:23 (NIV) - Amen.

© Yuvonda Hendricks

Marya Lewis

Salem Chapel

March 21, 2012

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character; hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (NASB)

After a particularly difficult page of math homework, my eight-year-old son put his head down on the kitchen table and asked, “Mom, how many more years of school do I have left?”

“At least ten,” I said, “and four more if you go to college.” His big, brown eyes widened in disbelief. A few moments passed as Nathan processed my response. Then, with complete hope and sincerity he asked, “Mom, is there any way I can take a short cut?”

I smiled, but inside I felt his pain. There have been times in my life when a shortcut would have spared me from a long journey through adversity. I began to wonder why God allows us to spend days, months, and sometimes years in difficult situations. On a quest to find out, I began scribbling down every person in the Bible whose life story contained a long period of waiting.

Noah, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the people of Israel, Hannah, David…it was turning into a long list and I was 5 books into the Old Testament. As I considered each story, I wondered what God was doing in each of these people’s lives. As I searched for common threads in their adversity, I prayed for wisdom for my own walk with Christ.

After some amateur research, I settled on three reasons why God allows us to endure prolonged struggles:

1. Preparation for a distinct calling: Moses and David are great examples of this principle. God hand-picked them for spiritual leadership but both waited many years and faced great hardships and uncertainty. It’s important to remember that God orchestrates every aspect of our lives—including our trials—to equip us to fulfill His perfect plan. (See Jeremiah 29:11).
2. Shifting trust in ourselves to trust in God:  I wonder how Noah felt, with his wife and kids on a floating zoo atop a giant sea of nothingness for forty days? He HAD to trust God, didn’t he? Sometimes God removes everything around us in to turn our focus solely to Him. (See Proverbs 3:5-6).
3. Trading our weaknesses for God’s strength: Jumping to the New Testament, I found another example in Jesus’ disciples in the Upper Room. It had only been three days since Jesus’ death, but to them it was an eternity. They were frightened and confused. So what did our Gracious Heavenly Father do? He sent Jesus into their midst to dispel their fears and doubts and to tell them of the coming Holy Spirit. (See 2 Corinthians 12:9).

As I soaked in these biblical principles, I thought back to my son’s struggles with schoolwork. His frustration stemmed from his perspective of the trial. To his 8-year-old mind, 10 years of future homework is a staggering thought! From my perspective, however, 10-year increments fly by. It is the same with God. Psalm 90:4 says, For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by. And yet, despite God’s unique perspective, He uses the time to guide and comfort us.

What difficult journey are you on that’s left you wishing for a shortcut? As I write, I can think of friends and family members at various stages of life who are waiting for answers:

• A 20-year-old hoping to be married one day

• A 30-year-old trying to conceive a child

• A 40-year-old searching for employment

• A 50-year-old battling a chronic health problem

• A 60-year-old struggling to redefine herself as an empty-nester

• A 70-year-old dealing with the loss of her spouse

What would God say to these women in the midst of prolonged trials? The same thing I eventually said to my son: “Don’t worry about the ten years of math homework ahead of you because I will be here with you, supporting you and helping you” (that is until the Algebra gets too hard for Mommy and then Dad will be here for you). God said it much more eloquently: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)

When your path becomes too difficult, when you’re tired of waiting, remember that God will never leave or forsake you. Not only that, but He’s right beside you, in the mundane, in the frustrations, holding your hand.

© Marya Lewis

I woke up early one morning; I tossed and turned, and prayed to be able to fall back asleep. After forty-five minutes, I decided to get up and start my day with a cup of Joe, my journal, and Bible. (I have been known to be a light sleeper, but these mid-life changes are about to destroy me!)

I was scheduled to speak out-of-town that evening which meant that I had a long day ahead of me. I would need to tap into God’s resources, so I looked at the Names of God. I focused on God as El Shaddai – Our Sufficiency and Care Giver.

The reference passage in 2 Corinthians 12:8-15 was exactly what I needed to remember this particularly long day. Paul had prayed asking God to remove his “thorn in (his) flesh.” The passage brought back memories when a dear friend of mine had approached me with a question.

My friend is married to an unbelieving husband. We have prayed for his salvation for many years. She approached me in a panic one morning at church. She had heard on the radio that she should only knock on the door of God’s throne room three times to pray for something and then let it go.

I wondered where that teaching came from, but I explained to her – that our God is an everlasting God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow weary or tired, and his understanding no one can fathom… especially in our coming to him in prayer. (Isaiah 40:28) I told her if it concerned her, it concerned God.

I knew there was a passage about praying for something three times, and here it was! Paul stated that God had given him a “thorn in his flesh” to keep him humble. Three times Paul pleaded with the Lord to take it away.  Commentaries suggest that possibly the “thorn” was Paul’s lack of eyesight. (I can relate as I continue battling my eye pain.).

I think Paul begged the Lord until he heard from God concerning his suffering.  After the third time, Paul states, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ ” God’s answer gave Paul a new perspective, a whole new revelation to understand his “thorn in his flesh.” The thorn was actually a gift in disguise. God’s power would be manifested more fully through Paul’s suffering.

Paul could finally “let it go” and stopped his pleading prayer of deliverance. With “delight” he could accept his weakness, his hardships, and difficulties because Christ’s power rests – covers and dwells – on him.

We can freely come to God with our concerns repeatedly. And God will answer – in his time, in his way, and when it’s “no” we need to trust God has his purposes for his glory. When we are weak, God’s power is manifested more fully in us.

I think I will lay down and take a nap…

Prayer

Lord, we come to you in the Name of Jesus.  We praise you for the promise of your sufficiency when we are tired and weary with all of life’s demands. Thank you for our gifts in disguise, so we may know Christ’s power resting on us,  giving us abundant grace for the journey – the provision of all that you are in our time of need.  It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by (Your) grace. Hebrews 13:9b

© Sarah Bush

www.sarahbush.com

Cindy Mills

Salem Chapel

March 7, 2012

It only took a few seconds for the damage to be done.  No one knew exactly how to remedy the pain.  Several people threw out suggestions, but none of their ideas truly helped.  I felt helpless.  Others felt helpless.   Everyone speculated on the depth of the injury.  Oh the feelings of regret!  It was a mess!

Three months ago that would depict the night I sliced my thumb with a butcher knife and ended up in the emergency room pleading for someone to stop the bleeding without the painful options presented before me.  Once they were able to stabilize the bleeding long enough to get to the root of the problem, it was determined I had cut a bleeder.  Translation….the cut was deep!  I left the hospital with glue all over my thumb, gauze, metal protectors, bandages, and my whole arm in a sling.  Prayerfully all would heal without nerve damage.  A few weeks later I would learn that it would take six to twelve months to heal completely despite the fact it looked normal.  Interestingly it seemed to throb especially in the quiet of the night as I tried to sleep.  I truly kept replaying those seconds on Thanksgiving night when I thought the knife was turned differently.  So much damage done in an instant!

Those earlier comments could easily refer to words I have carelessly spoken to a family member or words quickly spouted to me without much thought.  And similarly much damage is done quickly.  Helplessness is always experienced by all.  And the depth of the “wound of words” is always a major concern afterwards.  It is interesting that concerns related to healing are the same.  When will everything be normal?  Will it take a year or longer for the relationship to mend?  And in some situations you might wonder if normalcy will ever be possible.

But thankfully there is a prescription that makes healing not only possible but more complete.  God’s word!

We learn in Proverbs 12:18 that “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”.  He warns us that words can “pierce”.  Dictionary.com confirms that “pierce” means “to perforate quickly, as by stabbing; it suggests the use of a sharp, pointed instrument which is impelled by force as in pierce the flesh with a knife”. 

Did I experience that first hand ….YES!  Was I totally convicted as I reflected on words that have wounded my sons or husband when said quickly without thought….reckless words?  YES!  Did I reflect on recent conversations that left me hurt and insulted?  YES! 

But is healing possible?  YES!  How?  With healing words that come as we seek wisdom from God and His Word.  We can choose to reapply words that can serve as an ointment.  Wise, carefully chosen words that seek to ask for forgiveness or accept forgiveness.  Then the bleeding stops and we rejoice that “by His wounds we are healed”.  Isaiah 53:5

Prayer

Dear Lord, Help us to seek emergency help immediately from You when we pierce someone with our careless words or are pierced by someone’s recklessness. Help us to rely on your forgiveness and healing.  And when our words fail to encourage or lift someone up may we feel a similar “throb” in our spirit so that we will be prompted to restore and/or lift up that relationship so as to bring You the glory you deserve.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

© Cindy Mills

Holly Vaughan

Center Grove Baptist Church

February 22, 2012

Never ending housework, family commitments, job responsibilities, promises to friends, and obligations to wonderful organizations…..  Sound familiar?  I am sure that most of you can relate to that seemingly limitless agenda of daily tasks. 

While trying to figure out how to “do it all”, be superwoman, get the kids ready for school, remember practice schedules for three different children, keep appointments, feed my family something other than waffles for dinner and still remember to brush my teeth (only kidding-I try to remember that last one), I realized that I cannot do it all!  At least I cannot do it all by myself! 

I was reminded of just how crucial it is for me to “push back the demands of the day” (taken from JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young) and realign myself daily with God’s Perspective.   He is able to organize my thoughts and somehow provide me the ability to accomplish what is most important.  All I have to do is go to Him each day and He will direct my paths.  When I put Him first, everything else falls into place and I can relax knowing He is in control.  Everything isn’t up to me to accomplish on my own.  He is my strength and my source!

 With all of the different roles that each of us hold, there is none greater than being a child of the Most High and daily renewing our minds, daily refreshing our spirits, and daily relaxing in His Presence.  Will you join me and relax in His Presence today?

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

Prayer

Dear Lord,

I come to you and ask you to help us be more aware of Your longing to be in our daily lives and in our daily agendas.  We know that without You we can do nothing, but in You we can do ALL things because You give us strength.  Help us to remember that You give the renewing, refreshing, and relaxing that we desire.  We love You, Lord! 

In Your Precious Name,

Amen!

© Holly Vaughan

Tammy L. Priest

Calvary Baptist Church

February 15, 2012

My son hates pierced ears.

Not that I ever knew this, mind you.  I’ve had pierced ears since long before my fifth-grader entered my life.  In fact, he loved my earrings so much as a baby that I – as most moms do – had to stop wearing anything that dangled from my earlobes, or suffer the consequences.

Okay, I guess I should clarify.  My son doesn’t really mind earrings, it’s the piercing he can’t deal with.  But we only discovered this about our firstborn when we started talking about his younger sister getting her ears pierced.

You see, to our great joy, our daughter had professed her personal faith in Christ, going beyond Bible stories and Sunday School lessons to grasping her personal need for a Savior, and she wanted to be baptized.

My husband and I decided that, in honor of our daughter’s baptism – as she became independent in her personal walk of faith – we would allow her to get her ears pierced.

I wrote her a long letter, recalling God’s instructions to servants who wished to commit themselves to their master for life: to have their ear pierced against the doorframe of the house, in front of the town elders (Exodus 21:5-6).

I told our daughter that in the same way, every time she changed her earrings, she would be reminded that she has pledged herself to God, serving and trusting Him as her good and perfect and loving Master.

Now, we knew this would gross her brother out a bit, so we decided to have it done while he was away at camp for a week.  Our girl fearlessly presented herself to the woman at the boutique and didn’t shed a single tear – although her eyes grew mighty wide after the first earring punched through!

By the time her brother was to come home from camp, the rest of us had already gotten used to our daughter’s new look.  So when we went to camp on pick-up day, we didn’t give the earrings a second thought.

Until he saw her.  The second my son laid eyes on his sister, he looked away and moaned.

For the next twenty-four hours, he couldn’t look at her.  He couldn’t even be in the same room with her.  And it wasn’t out of anger or judgment.  He was just so repulsed at even the thought of it that he could not get close to her.

She cried.  He cried.  And the more she cried at wanting to be with her big brother, the more he cried at his inability to be with her.  My son chose to spend most of the next two days in his room, or at least in a separate part of the house.

It was the most gut-wrenching thing I’ve ever seen.

As I helplessly watched this scenario unfold, it struck to me that this was exactly the scene in the Garden.  In particular, three things came into vivid focus.

First – like my son, but infinitely more so – the Father was so repulsed at Adam’s and Eve’s sin that He simply could not be near them.  Just like one drop of acid would render pure water contaminated, our Holy God simply can’t touch anything imperfect, or His perfection would be compromised. 

Because of their sin, Adam and Eve couldn’t even look at their Father’s face anymore.

“…you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Exodus 33:20 NIV

Second – like my daughter – mankind has longed – ever since the exile from the Garden – to be close to the Father again, to have Him look lovingly upon us.  But it just isn’t in Him.  And so we grieve deeply.

In fact, as I watched my children walk through that mess, it was very easy for me to relate to my daughter’s despair.  How many times in my early life did I feel the chasm between me and God and long to jump across it?

And what inexpressible joy when I found that, once I wrapped myself in Christ, all the Father saw was perfection, and that He can now gather me up in His lap whenever I approach Him. 

But even as a believer, walking through painful seasons of life, my spirit groans at being separated from God’s pure, holy, unadulterated Presence.  We are still separated from our perfect home and the Father’s visible Face.  So often, when I look at life on this earth compared to what ultimately awaits, it weighs me down with sadness.

But to see the anguish on the other side is one I hadn’t imagined before.  And it was painful. 

That was the last, and most powerful thing that struck me.  Because, to be honest, I’d never in my life thought about our separation from God from the perspective of His heart.  But, you know, it’s absolutely true. 

It wasn’t so much that the Father was angry with Adam & Eve.  It was the fact that they’d pierced His heart.  Because of what they had unleashed, He couldn’t walk and talk with them again – ever. 

If it didn’t actually pain God to be separated from His children, He wouldn’t have done anything about it.  He would have just walked away, shaking the dust from His feet, and left us to our own devices.  

But the Father loves us – loves you and loves me – so much that separating Himself from us causes Him great anguish.  How do we know?  Because He was willing to go to such anguishing lengths to remedy it – sending His Son to pay the price of our sin.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 NIV

Watching my children suffer through their inability to be reunited was not something I ever want to repeat.  And yet, as we celebrated Valentine’s Day yesterday I was thankful for that difficult parenting experience. 

Because, for the first time, I think I’ve finally begun to understand both the curse of my sin and the great depths of God’s love for me – and for you.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  1 John 3:1 NIV

The LORD appeared to us in the past saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”  Jeremiah 31:3 NIV

Prayer

Lord, thank you that Your love of me is greater than my sin.  Thank you that You are not a distant judge but a loving, compassionate Father.  Help me to know and experience the deep, abiding, love that You have just for me.  Amen.

© Tammy L. Priest
www.beginningwithmoses.net