MEAT, MEAT, AND MORE MEAT

My first year of bible school finished with an end of the year banquet.  It was a lot like a school dance just without the dancing.  You’d ask a girl to be your date, get all spiffed up (fresh haircut, dressed in your Sunday best, and an extra spray of cologne), and have dinner at a fancy restaurant on the beach.

My best friend and I decided to ask two other best friends to be our dates.  That year my friend and I played a major role in organizing the banquet.  We felt bad that our dates sat at the table alone as we fulfilled our responsibilities. So, to make up for it, we had the bright idea of serving the ladies their meals.  Once we approached the amazing spread of food, we filled their plates with only the best items: meat, meat, and more meat.  It was the perfect plate.  Who goes to an event like this and wastes tummy space on veggies?  Apparently, our dates.

It was an honest mistake.  We were hunters!  Showing the ladies our skills in bagging the game and bringing it to the table for their nourishment.  They weren’t impressed.  They were so sweet about it.  But just a meat meal wasn’t “their thing”.  Girls are confusing.

I learned a big lesson that day:  When you’re doing something nice for someone, it would be wise to get into their head and consider what they’d like.  When you give someone what you’d like, well, that rarely works out.

Especially with God.  Lately, I’ve been considering how we relate to God.  He’s not just one of the guys who you can talk down to.  There is a bit of decorum when dealing with the King of Kings.

How to relate to God:

#1 Being in a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God means there are no SECRETS between you and God.

¹ “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³ What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. Luke 12:1-3 (NIV)

The word “hypocrisy” in the original means “playacting.”  It was a word used in ancient Greek theater where the same actor would play different roles simply by changing their mask.  This isn’t limited to the theater. There are those of us who wear different masks for different crowds.  Your acting, your hypocrisy, your faking it, your secrecy may fool everyone, but God’s not fooled.  Nothing that’s concealed will stay hidden.  He sees it all.  So, I want to encourage you, in His presence, it’s safe to unmask.  He knows it all anyway.

#2 Being in a Right Relationship with God means you will WORSHIP God for WHO He IS!

⁴ “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Luke 12:4-5 (NIV)

God doesn’t want us to be scared of him as much as He wants us to revere Him and be in awe of Him.  What’s seen throughout God’s Word is regular people like us, coming face to face with God, and falling flat on their faces.  Like Moses, who was out in the desert taking care of sheep when he saw shrubbery catch on fire and begin to talk to him.  He threw off his sandals and covered his face.  He was stunned in the presence of God.  God is that awesome!

#3 Being in a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God brings about a PEACE because we know God’s PROTECTION is upon us.

⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7 (NIV)

If God can remember sparrows and He has a record of each strand of hair on our heads, what do we have to worry about?  Absolutely nothing.

#4 Being in a Right Relationship with God means you will be LOYAL to Jesus no matter what the COST may be!

⁸ “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹ But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. ¹⁰ And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Luke 12:8-10 (NIV)

How would you feel if you had a boyfriend or girlfriend who would hold your hand in private and drop it like a hot potato when people showed up?  They probably wouldn’t be your boyfriend or girlfriend for long.  God’s not cool when we like Him in private but disown Him in public.

#5 Being in a Right Relationship with God means you will TRUST the Holy Spirit to GUIDE you in your walk with the Lord.

¹¹ “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Luke 12:11-12 (NIV)

The Life-Giver wants to direct the course of that NEW LIFE He’s given you.  Paul put it this way:  ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit living in you will lead you if you yield to Him.  You’ll be able to speak life into any situation as you learn to lean on the Spirit’s promptings.

* The girl I asked to the banquet, well, years later I asked her to be my wife.  Let’s just say, she couldn’t resist this hunter.