Daily Journal: 23 September

Nothing Is Hidden

Everyone Is Responsible

When the world is becoming more extreme, filling with more violence, exposing the under-belly of hatred, not hiding evil but expressing it openly, tolerating it, flipping what is wrong to what is right, we remember one thing.

Nothing is hidden from God.

Everyone is responsible for their thoughts and their heart. Everyone is responsible for what they do and don’t do. And everyone is accountable for their actions to God. One day, every person will be judged according to what they have done, and whether they have sought forgiveness from the Author and Finisher of life.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

The God we serve is a just God. He is not a God of hatred and violence. He is a God of mercy and love and renewal.

We don’t have to fear being exposed before God if we come before Him with repentant hearts and recognise Him as Lord. Then, as believers in Christ, we don’t have to fear being exposed before God, for we will be judged with mercy. Even so, we are responsible for the choices we make from the attitudes of our heart. Even so, we are aware of the conviction of His Word and the impact that has on the way we choose to live.

We can be thankful that we have been shown mercy, and so we must also show mercy. Not acceptance of wrong, but insight. Not agreement, but understanding. Not aggression, but compassion. Not hostility, but peace. Not tolerance, but wisdom.

Matthew 5:13-16 (GNT)

“You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.

“You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

Are you trying to hide anything from God or even, from yourself? Can you check the attitudes of your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there is anything in you to correct?

Lord, we know you see every dark room in our soul that we may not want you to see, or we may not want to look too closely at. Please help us to look and not tolerate what you can already see. Show us, and help us, to see what we need to see and correct, with contrite and thankful hearts, what we need to correct. Cause us to be truthful in these things so that we can be the salt and light to the world that you need us to be.