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Deception: The Beautiful Mosaic?

Writer's picture: AngieAngie

When my Dad was overcome by the Atlantic Ocean’s wave, he was taken by surprise. The power of the shocking wave knocked him off balance and the unexpectedness of the undertow stole his thick glasses, changed his vacation plans, and left him reeling in confusion. (If you have not read, The Great Wave from last month, you might want to check it out now for the complete story.)


Last month's meandering, The Great Wave, suggested that the forceful wave of anxiety can overtake our lives and leave us vulnerable to the power of the unexpected in our lives. Deceit can have the same impact.


Stay with me for a minute….


The wave understood its power. The wave knew it was coming. The wave’s onslaught upon my Dad did not change its course. My Dad continued enjoying the beauty and refreshment of the ocean unaware of the impending ugliness he was about to encounter.


The real-life story might sound something like this: The lie had been building for several weeks. Deceit became the main character in a story where honesty was supposedly priority number one. That hurts, doesn’t it? Knowing that someone reciprocates relationship while they need you but all the while, are planning the moment when your lives can be disconnected. This is the essence of deceit.


Some of the most life-changing encounters in the Bible began with an act of deceit. Within the first few chapters of God’s Word, we find the first story of deceit featuring Eve and Satan. Later, we read Pharaoh supposedly acquiescing to Moses’ plea to free the Israelites but his hardened heart concealed deceit. Delilah deceitfully romanced Samson so that she could destroy his strength. Judas shared an intimate meal with Jesus before the betrayal.

Deceit never has the final word. The Bible refers to Satan as the deceiver, and his purpose is threefold: steal your hope, kill your confidence, and destroy your faith. As we hold to the confidence of what we know to be true, God provides a hideaway that restores our hope, awakens our confidence, and protects our faith.


"For you [deceivers] are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 NLT

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 NIV

If you have been deceived, what can you do? How can you prevent deception from holding you hostage?


Asking God to restore our joy-infused strength is an obvious place to start. Acknowledging the depth of dejection and sadness might be our reality but to wallow in it is always our choice.


“Do not be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Asking God to restore our self-respect might be equal in our request for joy-infused strength. Acknowledging rejection wars against the value that we might see within ourselves.

So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Matthew 10:31 NLT
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

As we respond to our God by allowing our hearts to hurt, our eyes to cry, and our minds to rely on the muscle memory of looking to God for help, (Psalm 121) he can create a beautiful mosaic of the broken pieces of our lives.

The creation of the mosaic artwork is accomplished when the things once hidden to us are revealed. So many questions that we think would remain unanswered God begins to piece together as we ask him to give our minds rest as we sleep.


The beauty of the mosaic is preserved when we do not allow unforgiveness or a mean-spirit to take hostage our behavior. Praying for those who do not hold our hearts as carefully as we thought protects us from bitterness and by His grace, we can, and we should, still pray that God will make Himself completely known to them. At the end of the day, life is about eternity where there will be no tears. God desires to reveal Himself completely to all people, even those who deceive us.

The completion of the mosaic is cemented when we assume a posture of thankfulness. As God reveals the unseen and we realize that our expectations were much higher than what could have ever been realized we understand that the pain of deceit can be used by God for our protection. God understands our worth, our purpose, and our passion.


So, just for today, if you have been hurt by deceit, do the next thing you know to do. Do it again and again and again. The hurt will fade. The scar will form. The chapter will be closed, and you will find yourself amid a new chapter being written by the hand of God. You will, once again, know where to start.


 

Take a moment to respond to the Holy Spirit.


In every battle, INSERT YOUR NAME HERE, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One! Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword[r] of the spoken Word of God. INSERT YOUR NAME HERE, pray passionately in the Spirit, as you constantly intercede with every form of prayer at all times.


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