Wednesday, June 11, 2014

By: Rocky Angelette

Open Mouth Insert Foot

John 14: 8-9  Philip said, "Lord show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father!"

Can you remember that feeling when you were a child and asked your parents for something - maybe a toy or to spend the night at a friend's house - and they said "NO?"

My quickly regretted response was usually, "You don't love me!" My parents then reminded me of everything they've done for me and my brothers - the roof over our heads, the brand new Nike shoes they bought us, the jobs they work so hard at to put food on the table, the vacations that they have taken us on... "Oh, but we don't love you" they would ask!?!  Open mouth insert foot!

Just as I've been guilty of the exact same thing in my conversations with my earthly father, Philip is showing ungratefulness in today's verse. "Really, Philip? Are you being for real?  You still aren't satisfied??" Forget about "Doubting Thomas," next up to bat we've got "Quick To Forget Philip!"

As angry as his response makes me, how often do we do the same thing?  When I respond this way, the conviction of the Holy Spirit instantaneously brings back to remembrance everything my Heavenly Father has done for me - providing me rivers in the desert in dark times, giving me a job so that I can provide a roof over our heads, changing me from the man that I was to the man I am today, giving me a vehicle to get to and from that job that puts food on my table.... "Oh but I don't love you" God asks!?!

I challenge you today that when you are in conversation with God to verbalize all the big and little miracles that He has done for you in your life. You'd be amazed at how many of them are very recent!  This truly helps this "Forgetful Philip" inside of ME when I recall ALL that He has done not only for me but for my son as well!

Dear Lord, Thank you so much for being patient with me when I am forgetful and impatient with You! Oh how silly I feel when I have recited the love You have shown me after I've responded so ungratefully to You! Please forgive me in those moments!

Thank you Jesus for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and God raised You from the dead so I can have eternal life.

Reflection: Are there miracles in your life that you are letting vanish from your memory?