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Children are so much fun to watch. They have what seems to be an unquenchable curiousity. When they see a door, you know what they are thinking. "What's behind the door?" There is always a wondering about hidden things.
So, what happens when we become adults? Do we hang onto that wonder and curiousity about things we do not know? Or do we lose it? Do we set it aside for the more "practical" things of life? Or, perhaps, do we simply assume that, because we are adults and know more, that we already know what is behind the door. Or we can make a pretty good guess...we think. Or maybe...we just don't think it is important anymore.
There is one door that none of us will be able to avoid...death. Do we know for sure what lies on the other side? Or are we just guessing? Are we pushing aside our curiousity? Or are we looking to find out?
Sometimes children are afraid of what might be on the other side of the door. Many people are afraid of what is on the other side of death's door. It is natural to be afraid of the unknown. But what is on the other side of death does not have to remain an unknown.
While we cannot know the specific details of what lies there, we can know for certain there are two places we can end up. We can choose to listen to the One who made what is on both sides of the door. He tells us what is there. He also tells us of His incredible love for us. He tells us through His prophets. He tells us through His Son...Yeshua/Jesus. He tells us through His written word...the Bible. He tells us through His creation. He tells us in so many ways...because He really WANTS us to know!
There are two places to go after death. He only wants us to go to the one where He will be with us for all eternity. It is our choice.
We could not see the reddish color when I took this picture. It only showed up on the image from the camera. We needed special "eyes"...the eyes of the camera...to see it. It reminds me of a flame...a hidden flame.
We should have hearts that are aflame with love for our Lord...Yeshua/Jesus. Our hearts are hidden, though. They cannot be seen by the physical eye. Nor can what is in our hearts be seen...other than through our actions.
I wonder...do we have within our hearts a hidden flame of love for our Lord? Who would see it, if we do? Does it come out in ways that others can see it? Or is it so hidden that only God can see it?
Another question that comes to mind is this...if it is that hidden, how real is it? The light in this picture is not visible. How, or why, it showed up on this picture I have no idea. But I hope that the light of love that I have for Yahweh God shows up for all to see. I hope that it is not something that only He can see.
It says in God's Word to let our lights so shine before men so that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven. Is that how I live my life? Does my light shine? Or is it hidden?
Boy...I sure can be like a little child in the cockpit...fascinated by all the dials and gauges and yet having absolutely no clue as to what they are all about! If I were to try and fly a plane...oh boy! IF we even got off the ground, we probably would not stay in the air...or make it back down safely!
Nope! If I have to fly somewhere, I will let someone ELSE do the piloting, thank you! Someone who is trained. Someone who knows how to fly and where we are going. I don't want someone who does not know about the aircraft or how to get to our destination to try and fly me there. That includes me! I want to know that I am in capable hands.
Most of us would not even consider getting into an airplane flown by someone who is obviously untrained, inexperienced and lacking in knowledge. I don't know of anyone who would attempt to fly himself or herself without training and experience. Clearly, the best choice is to stick with a reputable airline that uses trained personnel. That is the obvious choice, right? People are not typically going to put their physical lives in that kind of danger!
Yet, we are also on a journey of far greater importance! A journey called "life". We are all headed to a destination...a destination we will arrive at after we die. The question is...are we placing our spiritual lives into the hands of Someone who knows about the destination choices? Someone who knows how to get us there safely?
We can rely upon the so called "wisdom" of humans...or...we can turn to the One who made us and let Him guide us there. I don't know about you...but I am not going to entrust my spiritual wellbeing to anyone other than the One whom I know is capable of getting me through life and safely to my final destination any more than I would entrust my physical wellbeing to someone who is not capable of flying the plane!
There is only One who is that capable...the One who made all the universe...including little old me. Yahweh God, His Son Yeshua/Jesus and His Spirit. They are getting me through this life. They will bring me safely to my final destination. What is my destination? Well, the one Yahweh created me for! The one He created for me!
We were at an air show and saw two planes making a giant heart in the sky. What a wonderful thing...to see such a sign of love proclaimed in the heavens! This sign was done by two human pilots. It is easy to see...very clear...very obvious.
I wonder how many times we miss the other signs of love in the heavens...the ones written by Yahweh God's divine hands. He created a whole universe for us to live in and enjoy. He made our beautiful planet so precisely, according to what our human bodies needed to live. Why? He does not need us. He is Yahweh God. We are mere humans. He had no reason other than He wanted a heart/love connection with us.
Then...we blew it. The first man and woman wanted more and disobeyed Yahweh God. How sad. It was a perfect beautiful world and they were not satisfied with that. Their disobedience brought consequences that we see in the world today. Evil came in and the heart connection between us and Him was broken. The heart connection we have with each other is broken.
Yet, Yahweh loves us sooooo much that He made a way for us to be reconnected with Him. He gave us Yeshua. There is a price for wrong doing...and the price was too great for us to ever be able to pay. So, our loving Yahweh sent His Son to pay that price for us. What an incredible gift!
Go figure! Humans blow it. Humans disobey. Humans break that heart connection with their Creator. Humans earn a penalty for their actions. Yet, Yeshua pays it all for us. Why? Out of love. There is no other reason! Simply love. That same love will some day bring about a new heaven and a new earth where the evil and brokenness will be no more!
You can read all about it in the bible. Check out the 1st few chapters of Genesis, the 3rd and 14th chapters of John and the 21st chapter of Revelation.
Dirt...it can get in the way of everything, leaving an awful mess. It tracks into the house. It blows through the windows. It's leaves a coating everywhere it lands. Kitchen counters become unfit for food preparation. Dishes are not clean enough to eat off of. Dirt, dirt, everywhere!
How much spiritual "dirt" covers our souls? Are we fit to be used by Yahweh God? Are we fit to serve spiritual food to help meet the needs of others? Are we vessels of service that, like those dirty dishes, need to be washed clean?
When Yeshua/Jesus physically walked this earth, people typically washed their feet when they entered a house. This was because the dirt on the roads would get all over their feet. Their roads were not paved like most of ours are today. Washing the feet refreshed them, made them feel good and kept the house cleaner.
I have always appreciated how Yeshua/Jesus washed His disciples feet at the Pesach/Passover meal the night before He was taken. It was typically the role of a servant to wash feet. Yet, He took it upon Himself. Why? Why Yeshua?
Peter balked at the idea of his Lord washing his feet like a mere servant. He protested! What did Yeshua say? He said that it was necessary...that if He did not wash Peter's feet...then Peter would have no part with Him. Wow! Those are strong words. Again...why?
Peter was a jump right in with two feet kind of guy. So, naturally, his response was to ask Yeshua to wash his hands and head, too! Yeshua's response? Well, He said that someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed. He is already clean in other respects. Then He mentions that not everyone there is clean. One is not! Hmmm...again, why?
I believe all the whys are because this is a symbol of something far greater than simple feet washing. There is more going on here than simply removing dirt. What is He really saying in this action? Well, here are my thoughts on it.
Yeshua had to do it because it was a parallel of spiritual uncleanness. Only He can wash us clean of all the wrong things we do...all the wrong thoughts and attitudes we harbor...the wrong words out of our mouth...the wrong actions we take. When we come to Him and ask His forgiveness, He washes us clean. Not everyone in the room had really done that...hence, there was one not clean.
We live in the world. Our souls come in contact with the world just as our feet come in contact with the ground. In the same way that our feet get covered up with dirt and dust, our souls get covered up with the "dirt" of the things we continue to do that are wrong...things that follow the world's ways rather than Yahweh God's ways.
What is the solution? We need a soul washing. While we can wash our own feet; we cannot wash our own souls. We need the help of the only One who can. We need to bring those dirty souls to Yeshua so that He can wash them. Those of us who have already come to Him for forgiveness are already clean as a whole. It is only our souls (feet) that need continual washing.
What a wonderful picture we have here of how we can always come to Yeshua to be refreshed and made completely clean again. No matter how many times we stumble and fall into the dirt of this world, if we truly want to change and come to Him, He will clean us up again.
That is good news! Oh, wait! That is what the word for "gospel" literally means...good news!
Read all about it in John 13!
Children love to play hide and seek. They love to find those "special" places to hide out in. We also have our hiding places. You know what I mean...those places we run to when life gets to be too much. What is yours? Is it the bottle? Is it food? Is it sex? Is it drugs? Is it controlling others? What do you hide in, or behind, when you don't want to face life?
Yahweh God's Word tells us Who we should hide in. Instead of having confidence in those things we tend to run to, we need to have confidence in what Yahweh God says we should have confidence in...Him.
Psa 18:2 AMP
The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.
Psa 9:9 HNV
The LORD will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble.
Psa 94:22 AMP
But the Lord has become my High Tower and Defense, and my God the Rock of my refuge.
We can count upon Him to be there for us to run to for refuge. He IS my High Tower and Defense!
Abba/Father, please help me to remember that it is to YOU that I should run when life feels overwhelming. Please help me to not substitute anything, or anyone, in this world for You and Your love and shelter. Amen!
Children are so much fun to watch. They have what seems to be an unquenchable curiousity. When they see a door, you know what they are thinking. "What's behind the door?" There is always a wondering about hidden things.
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