“To thine own self be true.” Polonius from Hamlet via Wm. Shakespeare

This one is so often quoted, it sounds biblical, proverbial in fact. It is not, or is it? Not the direct quote but perhaps the sentiment.

Job 9:21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

We take selfies and look at the results with distain. So we pose again and take another selfie, looking for a better image. We are not about to share an image that is displeasing to how we want others to see us.

Or we take a selfie, admit we are flawed and send it out and condemn any who would dare judge us.

I think Job is being true to himself here. Speaking from a place of dark loss, from pain unimaginable, with meaningless memories of a life that was once good, just and upright, Job admits he doesn’t even know who he is anymore.

Leviticus 17:14a For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof:

Speaking to the sacrifice here, and in truth, how can we know who we are apart from Christ?

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

To know Him is to know the truth.

Otherwise a selfie is just a pose.

Exodus 3:4b God called unto him out of the midst of the bush,

Yesterday during the pastor’s sermon it occurred to me that Moses never said yes to God. God asked many things of Moses and here are Moses’ replies.

v11 Who am I, that I should go; v13 what shall I say unto them?; v4:1 they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: v4:10 I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

Nowhere in these scriptures does Moses say yes to God. Do you find that strange?

Moses rather than answer “Yes, Lord here am I, I will go.” as did Isaiah, Moses came down off the mountain and did what he was told.

I said yes to the Lord in 1964 but did not see the promises of God become real in my life until many years later, after I began doing what was asked of me.

Am I alone in this? Have you said yes to Jesus but haven’t seen any results for your yes?

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Faith does not answer to God with its mouth but rather with its hands and feet.