May 19, 2017
Buried
Melissa Spoelstra
We hope you are enjoying the Girlfriends in God daily devotions. We (Mary, Sharon, and Gwen) would like to introduce you to some of our special friends. From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our Friday Friends. So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our Friday Friend, Melissa Spoeistra
Today’s Truth
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. (Psalm 96:3, NLT).
Friend to Friend
Television shows about lawyers and court rooms get me every time. I have to admit that I love watching people argue, uncover the truth, and operate within the confines of the law to expose it. One of the tactics I've watched lawyers use (at least on TV) is burying information. If they don't want the other side to find a damaging document, they will hide it obscurely in ten boxes of paperwork hoping the sheer volume of information will keep its contents buried.
In 2 Kings, we discover a time when God's message was buried. King Josiah ordered temple repairs, and during the renovations some scrolls were discovered. While scholars debate about the exact contents of these documents, most agree it was something from the books of Moses, possibly Deuteronomy.
When the priest Hilkiah discovered it, he showed it to the king. Josiah then clearly realized all the nation had been doing to anger the Lord, specifically their idols and their failure to observe God's laws. Immediately, Josiah began:
- Clearing out the altars to pagan gods and the Asherah poles
- Restoring the priests and practices God outlined in His Word
- Making plans to celebrate the Passover and other observances God had instituted
- Getting rid of mediums and psychics who led people into witchcraft and divination
Then 2 Kings 23:25 says this of Josiah, "Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since."
Today, God's Word isn't buried in a temple where we can't find it. However, it does get buried under all the information that bombards us each day. Ads, social media, mail, television, magazines, and blogs come at us from all angles. Amidst all the messages, God's truth can get buried like crucial information the enemy doesn't want us to discover.
As we strive to obey God, where do we see His truths getting buried in our lives? Like Josiah, we may need to do some spiritual house cleaning.
- Is there any idolatry God is calling us to tear down?
- Are there any spiritual practices that need to be restored?
As we seek to know and love God, let's be careful that His Word doesn't get buried underneath all the other information. Some things that God has called me to do lately include:
- Spend time in His Word and in prayer before reading anything else (blogs, social media, emails).
- Reserve television for the weekends only. (I have a tendency to overdo it!)
These are my own personal leadings in trying to keep God's message from getting buried in my life. What might He be calling you to do to keep a relationship with Him on the top of the pile? Spend a few moments listening for anything He might be saying to you.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, You know all the information coming at me. Help me not to let my time with You get lost in the shuffle. Jesus, I want You to have first place in my life. Give me the time and space every day to focus on Your Word above all the noise of my culture. I want to make You known in world saturated with information. Rather than being buried in emails, letters, and social media, I want to be buried in Your love and truth.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
How can you keep your relationship with God at the top of your pile of things to do today? Where can you infuse God’s love and truth into your daily tasks and relationships so that you can make God known in your sphere of influence?
More from the Girlfriends
Melissa Spoelstra is a women’s conference speaker, Bible teacher, and writer who is madly in love with Jesus and passionate about helping women of all ages know Christ more intimately through serious Bible study. She is the author of Mom's Choice Award-winning Total Family Makeover as well as three women’s Bible studies including First Corinthians, Joseph, and Jeremiah. She lives in Dublin, Ohio, with her pastor husband and four kids. Find her online at www.melissaspoelstra.com.
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