8th day: NEW BEGINNINGS

After spending the 4th of July with my precious nephews and my family, I grasped anew why children are such a gift from the Lord. They bring new life. No baggage. Innocence. A fresh perspective on reality. They are untainted and pure. God's ways are so different from ours that we need new eyes to see. Their skin is soft, their eyes are bright, their insides are exciting and adventurous, awaiting the 'next thing.' They have that appreciation for birthday cakes with icing, a new toothpaste flavor, and whatever else they see. How much clearer it is that we are to become like little children to see/inherit the kingdom of God.

My brother, Jeff's boys and I went with Grandma Kurland to a wading pool. Their highlight was riding on our backs while we swam; or on our shoulders picking up leaves in the pool. After retrieving the leaves, we handed them to the lifeguard. She was so thankful for us 'helping' her clean the pool. That was a precious time of bonding. It's those little things that seem to bring the most joy. While we were leaving, Ethan insisted that we say good bye to both lifeguards, thanking them for keeping us safe! Precious!

This 8th day of July, a few days after celebrating our nation's freedom, I desire to view life through a new pair of eyes. "His mercies are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22-3). I commit this new day into the God of new beginnings. "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5). His freshness; His view of not remembering our former sins and shortcomings; His new day and new life. What awaits this day that the Lord has made? I guess we'll find out...

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Gold vs. Bronze: Faith vs. Judgment

GOLD REPLACED WITH BRONZE
FAITH REPLACED WITH JUDGEMENT

When Rehoboam “forsook the Law of the Lord” (2 Ch. 12:1), Shishak, king of Egypt, came and took the golden shields which Solomon had made. Rehoboam replaced them with bronze.

Gold represents faith.
Bronze represents judgement.

When we don’t walk in faith, we end up critical and walking in judgement. It says that Rehoboam had the commanders guard the bronze shields. There was a particular guarding of the bronze shields-as if someone would steal them. How much like us. We guard our own religious judgements and protect them. Why? Because we know that we’re right-and others are wrong! We guard those areas in our hearts. We set up 'commanders,' our own thoughts and devices, to make sure that everyone else knows that we have the truth-and we won’t budge when we judge!!

REAP WHAT WE SOW

Egypt is a type of the world. 12:9 says that the king of Egypt “took the treasures of the house of the Lord”. The Lord’s treasures are His people. The world has infiltrated, sabotaged, and plundered God’s people with subtlety, subterfuge, and deceit. The world, the flesh, and the devil, have all had their share in plundering God’s people for too long. Let us not be misled by our bronze masquerading as our gold. "Judge not, that you not be judged" still applies to us today. "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" If all that we have been sowing is judgment, masked as 'prayer concerns', we will reap a harvest. But it won't be a harvest of righteousness by faith, it will be a harvest of destruction.

It's our choice! Let's replace our bronze with the gold! The shield of faith will bring freedom into our lives, free from playing God and judging others.

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