Encouragement for Today - Oct. 22, 2007
October 22, 2007
Making Everything Known
By Rachel Olsen
“He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:22 (NIV)
Devotion:
For Americans, Halloween is just a week away and fake skeletons seem to be everywhere I look. I don’t like skeletons - especially the proverbial kind that hide in my closet. We all have “skeletons in the closet” - stuff we keep hidden away from everyone, except perhaps our closest friends. Deep hidden things about who we are, where we come from, what we’ve done …. things we’re afraid to bring into the light … things we’re afraid to look in the eye ... things we fear may cause others never to look at us the same. But Jesus knows, and loves us still.
Jesus knows. Genesis 16:13: “You are the God who sees” (NIV).
Jesus knows. Ezekiel 11:5: “The LORD says… I know what is going through your mind” (NIV).
In fact, He knows and still He truly desires to be friends with you.
Friendship is a two-way street. It’s both give and take, talk and listen, reveal and accept. Jesus is on that two-way street with us. We can be vulnerable and real with Him. We can relax and safely surrender the key to our closet. We can bring our “skeletons” into His light, where they’re not merely tolerated, but miraculously transformed from dry bones to abundant life. No other friend can do that!
We can share our secrets with Him and He will reveal His mysteries to us. Psalm 24:14 tells us, “The LORD confides in those who fear him” (NIV). The word “confides” means to disclose, to pass on, to speak in confidence, and to open your heart to. Jesus wants to open His heart to you and give you full access! Pause and think about that humbling, exciting, amazing reality for just a minute!
Jesus also wants to pass on to us everything He learned about how to live here on earth while staying connected to God in heaven. That is knowledge you and I need to know, and Jesus is the friend who can hook us up with it. He made all this known to his disciples while living among them and teaching them. He’s also made it known to us through their gospel accounts in the Bible.
“I no longer call you servants,” Jesus said to His disciples, “because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15, NIV). Jesus considers us a friend, and is keeping nothing hidden from us. Anything we want to know about Him, or about what He knows of His Father, is available to us. It’s not automatically downloaded into our brain without any effort on our part – yet, we need only read His Word, and connect with His heart in prayer to receive it. I’m confident we’ll find it worth the effort.
So Jesus has made the first move. He’s reached out to you in friendship. He has vulnerably opened His heart to yours. He’s willing to tell you everything. Will you do the same? -Will you let yourself be fully known by Him? Are you ready to hand over that key and let those skeletons come out into His transforming light?
Sit down with Him and His Word today, and connect friend-to-friend … heart-to-heart.
Dear Lord, I want to connect with Your heart. I want to know what its like to be Your friend – deeply and joyfully connected to You. Help me move into this relationship. I trust You’ll meet me there. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
For more on connecting with Him, visit Rachel Olsen’s blog
Who Holds the Key to Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst
Application Steps:
Set aside a time and space each day this week to encounter Jesus by reading through one of the accounts of His life called the “gospels.” Try reading the book of John in the New Testament of your Bible. (If you don’t have a Bible, you can purchase one here.)
Reflections:
What “skeletons” are in your closet? Tell them to Jesus and ask Him to cover them with His transforming light.
Are you ready to make the effort to develop a true friendship with Christ? You may want to (re)read last week’s devotion on Making the Effort.
Power Verses:
Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (NIV)
Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (NIV)
Psalm 51:6 “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” (NIV)
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G,
Matthews, NC 28105
