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Who told you you were naked

Genesis 3:11  And He said, “Who told you that you were naked?

Voices are distinct. Often we recognize an actor’s voice before we recognize their face. We have telephone conversation with people we can’t see but are certain they are who they say they are because we know their voice.

Many people claim they hear lots of voices. These are typically intellectuals whose brains never stop. Unable to turn the voices off, they live their lives with continual conversation going on inside their heads. I read once that when this happens, one should try to identify one voice at a time, mentally put that voice in a lidded jar and soon all the voices would have a new home. I repeated this to my friend who only looked at me like I was crazy – he hears lots of voices.

Adam knew only a few voices, that of Eve’s and God’s. After the apple incident, Adam and Eve confessed, “We hide because we were naked.” It is God’s response that clenches my heart as if someone has reached in and grabbed it; “Who told you you were naked?” Adam, who told you?

I ask a similar question; Who told you you are bad? Who told you you are wrong? Who told you you are sinful? Who told you you are stupid? Who told you you are a failure? Who told you you are going to hell? I know for sure it wasn’t God. So whose voice is it? Who are you listening to?

It takes time to get to know God’s voice. It requires putting all those other voices in lidded jars and setting them on a very high shelf where they won’t be disturbed. If you’re not sure which is God’s, I suggest you begin with removing all the ‘you are bad’, ‘you are wrong’, ‘you’re a failure’, ‘you’re going to hell’, type of voices first; those can be jarred!

We fail to hear Him because we’ve allowed all the other voices in. God’s voice is the gentle whisper that says, “I love you. I have a plan for you. I’m right here waiting for you. I know everything you’ve done and it doesn’t matter. Let’s walk together.” His is the voice of love and forgiveness. It’s the voice of redemption. All the others are not.

So I ask you, Who told you you were naked?

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A $100 Marriage License

One of my employees is getting married. For the past year, this great event has been being planned. We are all interested in every detail. As the day approaches, the final tasks are checked off the list; one of those the final tasks, the marriage license. Those of us who remember the blood test many years ago were surprised that it is no longer a requirement. What surprised our young bride-to-be was the $100 fee attached.

“I think it should cost $10,000 to get married and $100 to get divorced,” I commented, “Maybe it would be taken a little more serious. So did you get it?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“You know it’s just a piece of paper, it’s a contract. That piece of paper a marriage does not make,” I said. An image of that marriage contract flashed in front of me. “Hmmm,” I said softly, “there’s a group of people out there who are fighting for the right to pay $100 to get that contract. Seems crazy that they can’t.”

How did that piece of paper become the definition of marriage? I’ve yet to find the verse in the bible that says, “Thou shall obtain a U.S. Certified Marriage License (fee required) in order to be joined in the sight of God.” If that’s the case, holy crap, what did the world do before the U.S. was established? Have there only been holy unions for the past 250 years? Is this what they meant when they pinned “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect union…”? Geeze, all this time I thought it meant a government.

To my friends who would gladly pay $10,000 for that piece of paper, I trust that someday you will be given the same rights. And when that happens, I’ll give you the same advice, “That piece of paper a marriage does not make. Becoming one takes two people committed to doing just that, becoming one.” That happens with and without a license.

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A king in the field

Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

 King Nebuchadnezzar, an arrogant bastard was he. He was the same king that put Daniel in the den of lions and when morning came praised Daniel’s God for his safe keeping. Nebbie knew of God but it wasn’t enough. 

Nebbie has a dream, it’s a terrifying one and Daniel explains it for him. The dream is a warning. Daniel pleads with the king to turn from his selfish, self-centered ways, but as all arrogant bastards believe, their way is the right way. 

Twelve months later as he is looking out over his kingdom, Nebbie reflects, “ My kingdom is great which I myself have built…” While the words were still in the king’s mouth another voice was heard. “Time’s up! It’s time to experience field life until you realize that all you have comes from God.”

Immediately Nebbie’s dream came true, he was taken from the castle and out into the field with the animals. He eats grass, slept outdoors; his hair grew like a wild beasts and his nails like bird claws. Needless to say he wasn’t exactly his kingdom self.

Then as if in an instant, the light turned on. Nebbie raised his head to the sky, his reasoning comes back to him and he sees God for who he is.

Not everyone has to experience field life. You know it when you see it, it turns people into animals. It’s not meant as a punishment, rather a way to get their attention. Nebbie had a whole year to change his ways, and he choose not to. He acknowledged the God of Daniel, however God knew that wasn’t enough. Daniel’s God wanted to be Nebbie’s God. It takes a lot to get the attention of those who think they are God’s gift to the world. For some they must become animal like to understand how small they are in comparison to their maker. 

Nebbie came out of this experience, praising, exalting and honoring God. He wasn’t broken, trembling or wounded from the experience. He comes out stronger than he was before. All of his ability, wisdom, and authority was now centered, not in himself but in God. 

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

He is the God who loves arrogant bastards enough to get their attention and make them kings!

 

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Ears can’t see

Job 42:5  My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.

My buddy Job is an interesting character. Job loves God. He is seemingly a successful father with grown children. He is successful business man with great wealth. In a very short period of time it’s all taken away from him. Come to find out it had nothing to do with him. No, this was a discussion between the God he served and Satan. Satan was accusing God that people only served him because of his blessings.

The image of God that plays regularly in my head is a large, gentle, strong, wise, all knowing and very patient image. I envision God pondering Satan’s words, nodding his head a few times as he contemplates and then simply says, “Have you considered my servant Job? 

Satan’s ears perk up, he snarls a bit and rolls his slimy hands in anticipation. “You can do whatever you want, but you can’t take his life,” God says. REALLY? What the…? 

Satan wastes no time. Job gets the word that all his land has been destroyed, his children killed and all his wealth vanishes; at least he has his health – right, that goes too. I used to think that God knew Job’s character and knew that in the end he would not crumble. I now believe that it had nothing to do with Job. God knew that there was nothing He couldn’t redeem. 

Job’s wife and friends do their best to console him. They actually have some good things to say. God allows their discussion to go on and on, almost 40 chapters of it. Then God begins to talk. His words are loud and clear: He is God and there is none His equal. 

It is at the end when Job says, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” There is a great gulf between knowing God and seeing him. Those who know God typically speak of him as a judging, condemning, righteous figure. Those who see him, see him in the midst of calamity, disaster and suffering. They see a God who loves and who in spite of all the evil and wrong in the world is there. 

Do you see him? Do you see him in the midst of your suffering and heartache? Do you see him in the midst of your loss and abuse? He is there, waiting patiently for you to allow him to redeem it all and work it out for your good. 

There’s a PS to this story. Job did get everything back and he got it back double. BUT it didn’t just appear one morning, it came back naturally. God didn’t drop six grown children in his lap, his didn’t wake up to find his fields completely restored and producing. Barns didn’t just appear filled with herds of animals. I believe that for the rest of Jobs life he experienced God’s rebuilding. Not a bad retirement.

 

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Waiting Eagles

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I hate waiting. I have the knack for coming up with plans and ideas that require other’s specialties. This requires me to wait on them to complete tasks. I hate waiting. A few Saturdays ago, I was walking around the house having a grand ol’ bitchin’ session, complaining to myself and God that I was sick of waiting for other people, that I would no longer include others but do things that only I was able to do and wouldn’t need other’s input. “I hate waiting!” I said with great determination.

 At the very moment I verbally said the word “WAITING!” this verse came to mind. Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. Oh really? Are you telling me I should be waiting for You and not them?

My very one sided conversation continued, “So You’re saying I’m trusting the wrong person? I need to trust You and wait until You make a move and all this stress and crap and anxiety and unmet expectations will go away.” I thought about it for a moment. If all the stress and crap and anxiety and unmet expectations went away I would have a lot more energy.  Granted I’m not sure if I could soar with the eagles but I certainly could walk faster. 

I spent the rest of the day waiting on God and forgot the other humans who I had put so much faith in. It was a lovely day. I didn’t have much to bitch about. Actually taking a walk sounded quit pleasant. 

The following morning I had two emails waiting for me when I awoke. Each from the people I had been waiting on. I’m still waiting but not on them.  I’m waiting on the One who gave the eagles wings to soar and gave me legs to walk. And when the time is right and all is in order I believe that I will be able to run to the finish line without getting tired. Waiting, it just makes me laugh. 

 

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Trust, Lean & Acknowledge

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

This was one of my favorite Proverbs as a kid. This one and the one that said everyone would rise up and call me blessed – that sounded awesome! The older I get the deeper understanding I have for this Proverb.

Trust – we live in a world that doesn’t know how to trust. Our current society is based on just the opposite, it is filled with fear. Take one day and listen to the amount of fear in daily conversation. I’m afraid…don’t do that it will cause…can’t eat that it might be…I would never try that…You can’t do that, someone will…. We have successfully created a fear culture. Trust requires one not to fear but to believe that someone or something has our best in mind.

Lean not on your own understanding – Oy, that’s not even possible. That’s what therapy and analysis is for. We must understand everything! After all if we don’t understand it we are afraid that we’ll be taken advantage of. 

In all your ways acknowledge Him – nope that doesn’t work either. We are so self-centered and self-absorbed we can’t possibly acknowledge someone else, even if we’re talking about God. One must ask what’s in it for me by acknowledging Him?

The ability to trust, not understand and acknowledge changes greatly from the time we are 8 to 28 to 58 to 88. It’s not natural, it’s out of the ordinary. It takes more effort the older we get. It takes effort, it takes faith, it requires an understanding of God’s love for us.

Find someone who lives by this Proverb and you’ll find contentment, peace, joy and optimism. You’ll find someone you want to hang out with. You may even rise up and call them blessed!