Unavoidable

God Shot for Today: When you’re reading the Bible and looking for God, you are going to start to see Him…everywhere and in everything. It’s Unavoidable.

So after sleeping in, taking care of the chickens, making breakfast for the crew, cleaning the house, and exercising, I finally sat down and read my scriptures for the day.

Whew.

Now I know lots of people say to do it first thing. Heck, I’d suggest that too, but this is the reality of it.

I know that what we want to happen, we make a priority and I am working on making it a priority. But today wasn’t that day.

But that’s not the point.

The point is to read His word and seek Him. Regardless of the time of day.

Now in my defense, because I feel like I need to defend myself for no apparent reason, I did listen to the Bible Recap’s passages early this morning when letting the chickens out.

(That makes me feel better since I like to do things “right” and at least listening to His word closer to first thing in the morning seems like doing it closer to “right” even know I know there is no “right” or “wrong”. More importantly though, I am finding that starting my day with His thoughts instead of news junkies and drama, is a much better way to kick the day off.)

So I am locking up the chickens’ gate and had a moment.

I didn’t know where this was in the Bible when it came to mind, but I found it later in Matthew 23:37:

“How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Now that I have chickens, and now that I am thinking about it more, I have a new appreciation for His animal parables and metaphors.

First of all, I want to be one of those under His wings. Can you imagine a more perfect place to be? It makes me sad that this passage is one of heartbreak for Jesus. His lament for Jerusalem. If only they had listened to Him…

But back to chickens…

When you have chickens, you just want to protect them. They bring lots of joy and you want to make sure they are taken care of and safe from harm. We’ve lost 3 and I don’t want to lose another one.

If I love my chickens and want to take care of them, how much exponentially more so does God want to take care of us and keep us from harm?

In this passage, He is giving the warning to Jerusalem (and us) not to limit or restrict, but to protect. He knows what is best for His people, but unfortunately, they didn’t listen.

How often do we not listen? Not heed God’s warning? Say “I’m going to do it my way.”?

And then heartbreak.

Not just for us, but for God too.

I know He must feel sadness when He sees our decisions lead to not good outcomes. Or sees sin come in and separate us from others and from Him. Or when He knows there is more for us and we settle for less than.

He wants better for us.

So my prayer for today is for help stopping thinking I know what’s best, for me to get out of the way, and let Him gather me under His care. (I might already be there, but I want to be double sure.) He wants me, and possibly you, to surrender to Him. To let Him take care of us.

Who knew my little chickadees in freezing temps would be what God was using to help me see Him today.

So this has nothing to do with what I actually read today (Day 12!!!), but it makes me realize this…

When you’re reading the Bible and looking for God, you are going to see Him everywhere. Just like the actual written pages. His name may not be written down in black and white on every line, but He is in absolutely all of it and is everywhere. He’s unavoidable.