What does my picture say?

9:17 a.m. Today's project for the morning was to spend some time in prayer on my knees before my Heavenly Father, which I am privileged to do in the living room, on a padded bench covered with the quilt my very patient friends helped me make.

Since Saturday, there is a huge new addition to the bench, a giant framed birthday card Pavel and all of us family and friends contributed to. Over the last month, Pavel had us all take pictures of ourselves posing with an item that starts with a letter of the alphabet, ending up spelling "Happy Birthday Heidi, we love you!" Heidi was to figure out the Rebus-style puzzle.

Before I shut my eyes to pray, I noticed the instruction note to Heidi, particularly the last line: "What does the picture say?" I was thunderstruck! As the Holy Spirit opened my eyes, I began to ponder,

WHAT DOES MY PICTURE SAY?

First, as an evangelical Christian, I always think of my testimony in front of the world, as Paul reminded a church leader in Titus 2:6-8, that believers should "be sober-minded, in all things showing yourselves to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you." How critical these words are, because a dishonest or misbehaving Christian causes those looking for excuses not to accept Jesus Christ to have all the ammunition they need to dismiss our faith! I pray not to be a distraction from my Lord!!

Jesus quoted Leviticus 19:18 when he said in Matthew 22:37-38, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.This is the first and great commandment." Do I love the Lord with all my heart? Or does Dana sit on the throne at times? I pray to love and know Him more every day, and try to listen to His voice before I make my voice heard and my presence seen. I have to confess and repent many times daily that I have let my priorities and allegiances get out of order--again!! How sweet is the forgiveness He grants to his children when we repent!

Jesus goes on in v. 39 to present the second greatest commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Ouch! That is very hard, if not impossible, I will be the first to confess--not by my will or in my own strength!! God is so perfect, easy to love, the source of all good and beauty and righteousness in this world and the next. But my neighbor sure isn't!! And neither am I! At times, my neighbor--spouse, family member, friend, acquaintance, elected official--is nothing more than a source of contention and irritation, almost as bad as yours truly!!

(Christians are forgiven, not perfect, hallelujah!!)

I've said more than once during a Bible study, "I'm surprised God lets me out in public the way I act some days!!" It's only by God's grace that we can get up from our regrets and embarassment and go forward to live for Him another day, to "fight the good fight," to share His love with others to whom we may have to apologize first!

Let's all take a realistic snapshot of ourselves, humbly before God, praying that our picture may speak a thousand words of goodness, faithfulness, diligence, and above all, love!