My Umbrella

What a perfect day to write about an Umbrella!

No, seriously. It's totally going to rain all day. So, do you have your umbrella with you? I will probably have mine, since I am getting my hair done today (I know, poor planning), but I don't want to walk around without it.

We started a series on Wednesday nights in the Youth Group...it's called the 7 Series. Our youth pastor, Todd Jones, is speaking of seven important spiritual disciplines. Our first one was Ultimate Authority. The picture he used is an UMBRELLA! Off and on through his talk he would hold an umbrella over his head and then out as far as he could, back and forth. The imagery was settling into my heart. 

I mean, how silly is it to accept the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and be "under God's ultimate authority" (hence, the umbrella), and walk around with the umbrella but not be under it. Ridiculous, right? EXACTLY! I thought about all the times I had done that and it brought back so many bad choices and acting out of disobedience when it came to loving and serving my God. If I really believe His love for me, His power in this world, His sacrifice, His ultimate authority in my life, then why in the world would I want to walk around without the umbrella over me? Why would anyone, for that matter?

See, The umbrella is for everyone. What you do with your umbrella/how you hold your umbrella says a lot about what you believe about God. If I hold it out at arms length, much like we do with God at times, then although I am choosing to hold it, I am not allowing it to cover me. So, when the "rain" comes I am holding the tool but allowing myself to get drenched! Oh the beautiful picture of rebellion and sin. 
I did that for so long! 
But when I allowed his umbrella to cover me and for me to willingly choose to hold it over me when the rain came (cause it was still going to come), I didn't get drenched, I may have gotten a little bit wet, but most of myself was dry. Again, another beautiful picture of how God lavishly loves us enough to cover us.

It's rainy out today...Where are you holding your umbrella?

Karen