It feels like time to open the closet door again; to recall the pit that I was rescued from and once more declare what the Lord has done for me. I’m tempted again to feel shame but Father has already forgiven me and no one else’s opinion matters. Nonetheless, it remains a part of my past and it is a great story of redemption that may bring hope to another. I have posted this before but I pray today that it gives you a fresh look at how Father has redeemed your own foolishness.

Are you trapped in your belief that your righteousness with God depends on your works? Do you think you need to earn salvation by wowing God with all you do for Him–if you’d just go to church more, get involved more, serve more, give more money–God would take special notice of you, you’d be more worthy? That seems to be what it takes to get us noticed among other people. But that’s not what God wants at all. “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart–that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth, that Yeshua [Jesus] is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered.” (Romans 10:8-9)

He wants you to trust Him, above all else. Have faith in what you cannot see. Then, as you see, feel, and hear Him working for you, open your mouth and tell others so that they too may trust more. “So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.” (Romans 10:17) When you let your heart trust enough to walk in faith, you begin to notice how God is working for you now and that He was working on your behalf in the past as well.

For me, the flashback was to 1987, where I was on the kitchen floor on my hands and knees, not praying. I was in a deep search of the floor for anything white that may be a piece of cocaine from the night before. Suddenly, a voice in my head said to me, “Linda, what are you doing on the floor? There is a baby crying down the hall who needs you!” I got off that floor, tended to my son, never touched the stuff again, and patted myself on the back. Look how strong I am! I don’t need rehab like others, I’ve got this all on my own.

I believed that for years. Then Jesus and I began a journey and God asked me, “Did you really believe that was your voice that got you off the floor?” I was ashamed of myself, humbled by God’s loving, undeserved attention and given one more testimony to proclaim about the Messiah.  

What about you? Do you have any look-at-me memories that really should look at him? If you do, talk to someone about it.