Given our Prayer Group discussion this morning, that question may seem counter intuitive. Jesus asked those He healed not to tell anyone but to present themselves to the priests. Can you imagine? No one does that. Jesus wasn’t looking for glorification. He gave all glory to the Father. Do we?

How can we unless we know? Judges 17 is a short strange chapter. In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. v. 6. Unless I’m misreading it, a man named Micah took a lot of money from his mother and told her he did it, he took it. She solemnly consecrates the returned money, or 200 shekels of the silver, to the Lord so her son can make an idol out of it. The son puts that and other “household gods” into a shrine he has and makes his son a priest. v. 1-6. Then we meet a Levite from Bethlehem who comes to live with Micah to become his priest because he needs a place to stay or as the note showed “to carry on his profession”. And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.” v. 13. I’m not sensing a relationship with God.

I glanced ahead a bit and the beginning of Chapter 18 says the same thing…In those days Israel had no king. That means something.

This morning from Hearing God: If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25. The first paragraph continues: The gospel of Christ comes to us while we are alive biologically but dead to God. It both empowers and calls forth a response by its own power. This enables us to see and enter the kingdom of God as participants. It opens the door of the mind and enters the heart. From there it is able to progressively transform the whole personality.

Do you want to know a wonderful secret? Almighty God – Father, Son, Spirit – loves you and wants to enter into a relationship with you and in that relationship your life will be transformed. You will begin to be able to live the truth of loving God and loving others. It’s not an easy path! I want to go my own way! I want affirmation, credit, comfort for me. If I’m not careful, I want to reshape God into an idol that allows me to be me and enjoy living there. Am I then that different from Micah’s time? Is this world today? God wants so much more!

God knows my heart and there are no secrets. I think He knows my heart better than I do. He knows your heart, too. Far from being a scary thing, there is peace in His knowing me. There is no pretense between us. I wish I could be that sincere with everyone because there is love.

This morning we read a quote from Soren Kierkegaard: Purity of heart is to will one thing. What did Jesus will? For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. John 6:38-40.

The most wonderful truth about the secret I wish everyone could begin to explore, is that in loving and being loved by God, I am beginning to understand how I can love others and be loved by them…true life. I can begin to appreciate the possibility that none shall be lost in God’s great love. How can that be possible? Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6.

With great love the Spirit guides us. The most wonderful gift you will ever receive. God’s great healing love. One day His Kingdom will fill this earth. If we haven’t understood before that time, we will with His help live into His truth. God is Love.