Grace Imagination

{Nope, I didn't see the movie, but, daily, I am faced with the floods of negative influences that neutralize the imagination of God's people and that stymie their ability to see God above it all.}

Genesis 6:5 – “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” In the days of Noah (his name means”rest” or “resting place”) Mankind had unshackled their thoughts from the protection of the guardhouse of life, and re-shackled their hearts to rebellion against Heaven's love.. They decided they would forget God and live in any way that momentarily pleased their insatiable lusts. They had opened their minds and opened their hearts, not to God's Grace, but to every imagination that would paint the picture that God was the enemy, the spoil sport, the party pooper, the bummer, the dream hater; they truly believed that God was there to make their lives miserable. Every disappointment and every tragedy was God's fault. They were a generation whose eyelids were lifted up as they closed their eyes and hearts to God. “BUT Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8 (Sound familiar?)

"Noah, you imagine way too much about how God has set in motion the events of your life". "You are just not that important." “You make such a big deal over things that really don't matter, and things that you haven't even seen.” “Who do think you are that God would would speak directly to you?”

Even the Psalmist sat back amazed with his head spinning at the goodness of God as he thought out loud ..."What is man that Thou art mindful of him and his offspring (those further down the pecking order) that You even begin to take notice and care for" Psalm 8:4. Finding that God's care for us goes way beyond space and time can capture our hearts in a way that allows us live aware of the Grace entries that encompass our lives.

Let's do a Grace exercise with scripture and find the treasure therein: let's invert Genesis 6:5 – “And God saw that the righteousness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was Godly, God worthy and God-ward only continually”. Listen up! … To those who have been birthed from on-high by Grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ: Your righteousness in the earth is JESUS – there is none greater, there is none higher. You have been unshackled from the chains of sin to allow the imagination of your thoughts to soar high and long in the loving favor of your God. He knew your day even before your were formed in your mothers womb. His plan for you was then, is now and forever shall be ... “Love”.

Is thinking that God loves us enough to truly order our steps, prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies, and count us as His Beloved ... presumptuous? Our wrestling match with sin and our flesh fed desire has already created a disconnect of major proportions that daily plagues us with a spiritual nearsightedness. Let our God-ward imagination be opened!

Psalm 57:6 - “They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down : they have digged a pit before me”, (… And this enemy has a snare to strangle the steps of our dreams, desiring to cause us to fall and bow before a grave prepared for the end of us and any God-ward thoughts of love … BUT ) “into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah”. (Note to self: Let me not be my own worst enemy with negative self talk.)

We say we believe God loves us but reluctantly (Why?), possibly because we allow the current painful events of our lives or bitter historical scars to paint a blurred picture of God's active love for us. Momentary disappointments and bigoted history can be savage and careless erasers of the Grace moments in our lives. Grace moments should be cherished with prayer and adorned with praise that the storehouse of our imagination never be plundered by the enemy. Psalm 57:11- “Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let Thy glory be above all the earth”. God's supply of Grace is for us and is unlimited. I have a funny feeling that we can't over exaggerate God's love for us.

O God, please let our imaginations run wild in the extravagance of your love plans for us. And may we have that Childlike stubbornness that stands and cries “My Daddy is Stronger than yours!”

HLFA,

Jeff