Thursday October 23, 2008 NO ESCAPE ROUTE
I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night - but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you. Psalm 139:7-12 I don't know about you, but I find great encouragement from the fact that we cannot hide from God. Oh, there have been times in my life when I have actually wished that God would turn His head and allow me to punish someone in a way that I felt they needed punished, but the sheer knowledge that I cannot hide from God prevented me from committing murder. Okay, now don't get pious on me. Surely, you have had a moment like that in your life. One of our dearest friends is an alcoholic/drug addict. He did well from time to time, but it only took a brief moment for him to get distracted and end up back in the throes of his addiction, have an affair, and leave his wife. Not only did he leave his wife, but he made sure he ruined her reputation in the process. While she was in the hospital for depression from the way he had treated her during a hospitalization for breast cancer, he spread rumors that she was being treated for a drug problem. This is a man who made a deep commitment to the Lord and was making a tremendous difference in the lives of people at a drug treatment center. It just broke my heart when all of this happened. Unfortunately, I know several people right now who once made serious commitments to God, but they are running from Him as hard and fast as they possibly can. It is futile. No matter where they go. No matter how much they drink or how many drugs they take, they will never be able to escape from God. Darkness doesn't scare Him and the brightness of the day doesn't make Him put shades over His eyes. He sees the truth - and still loves us. Please join with me in praying for these people who are so blinded from the truth of God's love in their lives. Father, we pause now in the midst of our busyness and seek Your attention. We praise You because You are God, because You know the beginning from the end. We stand now in the gap for the many people who have said with their lips that they want to follow You, that they want to have a close relationship with You, but they are running as fast as they can from You. We ask that You would send angels to encamp around them, that You would continuously speak to them through the power of the Holy Spirit. Please, Lord, don't allow them to experience a moment in the day when a thought of You doesn't cross their minds. Show us what to do and what to say when we enter into their presence. Help us to know the balance between condemnation and grace. Help us show mercy without condoning their sin. Give us the mind of Christ in such a powerful way that they will see Him reflected in us and hunger to return to Your arms. ******************************************* O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] window live messenger: [EMAIL PROTECTED] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
