January 19, 2017
The One Thing God Doesn’t See
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Friend to Friend
When my three children were young, it was a challenge to keep track of where they were at all times. My husband and I baby proofed the house as best we could, used gates and did our best. I’ll never forget the day that Preston and Kennedy were accounted for in the playroom, but Hunter had wandered off. I called for him, but got no response.
Curious, I headed for the front staircase and listened for his little two-year-old voice. I checked his bedroom – no Hunter. I checked Preston’s room – no Hunter. I checked Kennedy’s room – no Hunter. By now, my heart was racing and I was growing concerned. As I headed into my bedroom, I began to hear faint noises from the master bathroom. Our bathroom mirror gave me all the information that I needed… Hunter had gotten into my red lipstick.
It. Was. Everywhere!
I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry!
He was unaware of my presence as he continued his creative red-lipstick artwork on my walls and on the linen closet door. I quickly crossed the threshold of the bathroom door and confronted my little chubby-cheeked, red lipstick-all-over-his-face boy.
And you know what he did?
He hid his scandalous red tool behind his back … thinking I was none the wiser.
As. If.
I asked him what he was doing. “Nothing,” he said with his lips - although his face and my bathroom clearly said otherwise. In my best trying-not-to-laugh mommy voice, I asked him a series of questions and he continued to deny any wrongdoing. Gah!
This sets my heart to wonder … how many times have I’ve gone before the Lord in prayer holding a tube of red lipstick behind my back? How many times have I – and do I – think I’m pulling one over on HIM?
Just as simply as I saw the tangible evidence of Hunter’s red-lipsticked face, God sees my heart and knows what I’ve been up to. He knows what we’ve all been up to.
He sees invisible heart matters like pride, anger, and bitterness.
He sees un-forgiveness, un-confessed sins, the habits we cling to, the shows we watch, the gossip we speak or listen to, the private texts and conversations that are happening on social media, and the books we read that don’t honor Him.
He sees our failures, every last one of them, and lovingly invites us to allow Him to clean up the messes we’ve made. The only thing God doesn’t see is our sins that have been forgiven. Even when you and I fail God, His love and faithfulness never fails us.
The Bible calls you and me to a higher level of living. A higher level of holiness: in Christ.
“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
Before the messy sins and secrets in our lives can be cleaned up, our red lipsticks need to be tossed. We all have them, you know.
Take a moment to search your heart.
What’s your red lipstick today? Are you ready to hand it over to God?
Let’s Pray
Dear God, please forgive me for the things in my life that I’ve kept from You or try to hide from You. You deserve better from me. Help me eliminate everything in my life and in my heart that “contaminates my body and spirit.” I want to reflect Your holiness.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Consider the red lipstick(s) that God may be calling you to toss aside. Seek Him in prayer and toss away! Ask God to strengthen your faith and to purify your heart, then swing by the wall of my blog and say, “I tossed my lipstick!”
A few years back, after praying about my constant need for restoration and forgiveness, I wrote and recorded a song called “Restore.” I’ve posted the song on my blog today. As you reflect on our lipstick toss, listen to the song and let it lead you to a response of worship.
More from the Girlfriends
Today’s devotion is an excerpt from Gwen’s book Broken Into Beautiful. Every step of forgiveness begins with the heart of God. If you’d like to learn more about how your brokenness can be transformed into a picture of God’s beauty, get your copy today. To order the book go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen’s web store.
Get 20% OFF Gwen’s BROKEN INTO BEAUTIFUL book today when you order from her website and use the code: 20OFF
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