Follow the Arrows

I haven't been doing a good job keeping up with the reading of THE STORY or following along with the corresponding Biblical text in the manner I intended, but I have been forced to keep up with the story line as I remain faithful in keeping my commitment to write lessons for the upper elementary youth at church, and I am intoxicated with love for my heavenly father as I have rediscovered his deep desire to be in a relationship with us as he begins to actively work out his plan of redemption through the Israelites! I am repeatedly amazed by his great skill as an author, teacher, and parent as I witness the beautiful manner in which he foreshadows his entire plan to restore his relationship with his fallen creation(you and I)! As I wrote for Sontown I failed, I fear, to precisely capture and relate my amazement and adoration for my creator, so I hope I don't fail here as well because I want you to be able to share in my experience at his feet...here we go, let's start with 2 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Originally, God set Israel apart as his chosen people, and in giving this young nation the 10 commandments, he hoped to make them identifiable to the rest of the world as his people resulting in their becoming a directional arrow pointing directly to him for any individual who has lost their way on the journey we call life. This intent behind the "rules" that so many despise and reject as old-fasioned rhetoric was to lovingly bring us home from our lost and wondering state separated from our Creator. So, that brings us to the question of what role we play in this scenario: (1) the flashing neon arrow pointing to God - or- (2) the lost wonderer questioning the origin of the strange yet attractive light radiating from your friend, co-worker, neighbor, the author of this blog (I hope), or the gentle stranger who helped you in your time of need? Let's question deeper...Alright ones asks yourselves," Does my life readily point the way to God so that those I encounter in life are unmistakingly directed to him?" and "If I can't honestly answer with a resounding, 'YES,' what is dimming the light of my arrow?" Okay, twos, its your turn...Why do you continue to put off seeking out the source of that strange yet appealing light you have noticed in one of the aforementioned individuals or someone else I have failed to mention? I mean, you're a go-getter aren't you, so go get it!:) Don't be reluctant to pursue your interest because the attraction you're experiencing is the call of your creator back home into a relationship with him exactly where you were created to be! Doesn't that sound wonderful! It most assuredly is! Feel loved because God has designed the entire universe just to attract you back to him:) I write these things for you to read simply because I want you to experience the peace, joy, fulfillment/contentment I get to experience daily as I live life in relationship with God. As I said, my membership in his family through Jesus Christ is not mine exclusively, but something he wants for you as well, so I share these things in hopes that you, too, will recognize the beauty and perfection of God's love for you and enter into the light of his presence through Jesus Christ:)