Layers
February 5, 2009
by Sharon Boling
Who likes chocolate? February is certainly the month for it with Valentines Day right in the middle. Picture in your mind some very special chocolates; maybe a whole box with different flavors that entice your taste buds. Maybe they come in a heart shaped box wrapped in cellophane, and maybe even individually wrapped inside the box. These chocolates are some of the best and you can’t wait to eat them. The only thing that stands in the way of you and the chocolates is layers. Layers of plastic, cardboard, and then maybe even more plastic. These layers are important; they help protect the chocolate.
Have you ever become frustrated trying to open a package? It could be your box of chocolates, or a new CD you got for Christmas. More than likely it’s your child’s toy! I think they must really want those Barbie dolls to stay right in the box! Even opening a cereal box can be a challenge, again with plastic and cardboard. You of course first try with your hands to open these things, praying and hoping it will be easy this time. You might get a little piece open which is good, but the packaging tears and you can’t get any more. Then as time passes you realize that this just isn’t working and you need something to help you; a knife or a pair of scissors. Of course you will use whatever is necessary to get it open. You really need what is in the package.
We own something really special. It is our heart. More than anything, God wants to open it so he can come in and love us and have fellowship with us. He doesn’t just want to open it a little bit, but he wants it all. It says in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.” Did you know that you have to open the door ALL the way to let someone in to eat? Just a little bit won’t work.
Sometimes though, there are layers between us and God. It could be a grudge against a neighbor, or a hurt from our past. It could be something like jealousy or anger. The layers might be important to you; they protect your heart from being hurt again. But God wants to open our heart completely so he can have ALL of it; like we might want to have all of the chocolate in the box. He wants to heal past hurts and sins; to make us new and clean. But first the layers have to be removed. We might even need some help, like from a pastor or a friend, or even the Word of God. Or we might just need to spend some time in prayer. In Jeremiah 31:3 it says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness.” Psalms 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
God loves you; he wants your whole heart, not just a piece. Let God remove the layers so you can have an intimate relationship with Him!
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