Week 3, Day 4
Where's Waldo?
Have you ever found yourself staring at a multi-colored, messy picture, trying to find that kid wearing the red hat and striped shirt? Before you realize it, you have spent countless minutes searching through all the distractions that look like Waldo, only to find, there he is! He was right in front of your face, smiling, just waiting to be found. Eureka!
Oftentimes I found myself searching through my messy, multi-colored life trying to find something. Sifting through all the mess of work, relationships, community, and country, trying to find a way through (or better yet) a way out. I am self-diagnosing my life, trying to clean it up, make it right. Sometimes our self-diagnosis can be harmful, and we should allow God to make the diagnosis instead. God is in the middle of what seems to be “the mess.”
In Genesis 38, Judah is noticing that Tamar may have a streak of bad luck. Each of the two times Judah gives Tamar to a son, his sons are killed. So Judah diagnoses the situation and decides to send Tamar away. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s household until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.”
So Tamar went to live in her father’s household. Genesis 38:11 Little did Judah know there would be consequences for his self-made diagnosis. As for Tamar, she gave birth to two sons that are listed in the Genealogy of Jesus outlined in Matthew 1:1-13.
Wow! The grace of God is at work, even in our messes. Like Waldo, He is right in front of us, smiling, even when we can’t see Him.
We may not know it or see it or even understand it, but we can trust that God is the Perfecter of our “messes.” The garden was messy, God’s grace was there. Joseph’s life was messy, but there was grace. Jesus was born in a messy stable and the cross was messy, but thank you, Lord, for Your grace. May God always grant us the humility to seek His face, even in the middle of our mess.
Oftentimes I found myself searching through my messy, multi-colored life trying to find something. Sifting through all the mess of work, relationships, community, and country, trying to find a way through (or better yet) a way out. I am self-diagnosing my life, trying to clean it up, make it right. Sometimes our self-diagnosis can be harmful, and we should allow God to make the diagnosis instead. God is in the middle of what seems to be “the mess.”
In Genesis 38, Judah is noticing that Tamar may have a streak of bad luck. Each of the two times Judah gives Tamar to a son, his sons are killed. So Judah diagnoses the situation and decides to send Tamar away. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s household until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.”
So Tamar went to live in her father’s household. Genesis 38:11 Little did Judah know there would be consequences for his self-made diagnosis. As for Tamar, she gave birth to two sons that are listed in the Genealogy of Jesus outlined in Matthew 1:1-13.
Wow! The grace of God is at work, even in our messes. Like Waldo, He is right in front of us, smiling, even when we can’t see Him.
We may not know it or see it or even understand it, but we can trust that God is the Perfecter of our “messes.” The garden was messy, God’s grace was there. Joseph’s life was messy, but there was grace. Jesus was born in a messy stable and the cross was messy, but thank you, Lord, for Your grace. May God always grant us the humility to seek His face, even in the middle of our mess.
Reflection Questions
• Have you been trying to self-diagnose your situation lately?
• Reflect on some ways that God may be at work in your situation, and commit to allowing Him to have His way. Release it to Him. You can trust Him.
• Reflect on some ways that God may be at work in your situation, and commit to allowing Him to have His way. Release it to Him. You can trust Him.
As Connections Director on the Heritage staff, Laveta provides pastoral oversight for Greeting, Baptism, Usher/Offering, Safety, and Discover Heritage teams. In addition, she focuses on implementing and maintaining a pathway for people at Heritage to know, share, and connect with God and each other.
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