Taste and See 2

We had our second Taste & See Friday night!  Once again, it was a great time.  Cici’s graciously furnished us with pizza, so we gave thanks and asked God to bless the food to the nourishment of our bodies,….. well, as best as pizza can serve for the nourishment of our bodies.  But, nothing is impossible for God, right?

After pizza we talked again about seeing life and all situations through our Christ Tinted Shades.  After the girls made some flower pens, we all headed outside for some street basketball and skateboarding.  (See the before and after shots of Aaron on the Rip Stick!) 

At the last Taste & See we looked at Joseph’s seemingly abandoned and horrible situation.  He was betrayed by his own brothers and sold into slavery.  In Egypt he was falsely accused of getting too close to Potipher’s wife, and he was thrown into prison.  But, even in prison we saw that “the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love.”  At the end of Joseph’s story, we find Joseph looking through his Christ Tinted Shades to see that everything that happened to him, all of the terrible situations, even the betrayal that his brothers “meant for evil”, all of these things “God meant for good”!  Why?  To save His people.  God always saves His people.  He is always faithful.

This time I asked the question, “From where do we get our Christ Tinted Shades?”  The answer: From above.  Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Unless a man is born again (or from above) he cannot SEE the Kingdom of God.”  Our Christ centered vision is a gift of grace.  Our Christ Tinted Shades are manufactured by the Holy Spirit who then blows through like the wind and places them on our faces.  Only then can we see the world as it really is.  Only then can we see everything through the one and only truth, Jesus Christ.

We also looked at another example of looking at what seemed to be a terrible situation through the lens of Christ.  2 Kings 6 tells the story of Elisha and his servant and the army of Syria.  The king of Syria wanted Elisha the prophet dead.  After hearing that Elisha was in a city named Dothan, he sent his army to surround Elisha and trap him in the city.  Elisha’s servant looked out and saw that they were surrounded.  He said to Elisha, “What are we going to do?!  We are trapped, and there’s no way out!  We are as good as dead!”  But Elisha responded, “Do not fear.  Those who are with us far outnumber those who are with them.”  Then Elisha prayed for God to grant his servant the eyes to see the situation through the promise of Immanuel (which means God with us).  He prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.”  Translation:  Please give him Christ Tinted Shades!  “So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Just like Joseph, Elisha’s servant looked through the God-given lens of Christ and saw that God was with them.  The situation wasn’t as bad as it seemed when he looked through the promise of God, because God always saves His people.  He is always faithful.

So, when you’re in a situation that seems so bad, you feel trapped, surrounded by an army of fear or hopelessness or anxiety or pressure, or whatever it may be; pray, and put on your Christ Tinted Shades, and know that God is with you; the Spirit of Christ dwells in you (Rom 8).  He always saves His people.  He has an army of fire around you.  You are Christ’s, and those who believe with their hearts will never perish!

*Here are a few photos from Friday: