“You can’t cling to a mask and God at the same time.” Dr. Juli Slattery “Beyond the Masquerade”
As Halloween was approaching excitement from the grandkids could be seen as they thought about what they want to be for the Holiday. While some lean towards their favorite character they want to imitate others were going for the spooky and scary. No matter how young or old they all enjoyed the challenge of disguising themselves to where they thought no one would recognize them.
Just as quickly as it comes the excitement of the season is often short lived. The minute the holiday passes so does the joy of the temporary masquerade. Unfortunately as much as we might think the season for masquerades have come and gone we find ourselves frequently living life behind a mask as often as daily instead of once a year. We are under the impression we can cling to our mask and God at the same time. We fail to see that with God we don’t need a mask. After all God knows everything behind our mask anyway.
Like the Samaritan woman in the Bible who thought she could hide who she was to Jesus we try to do the same and it just doesn’t work. No matter how many times our efforts have failed we continue to try. We find great security in keeping our masks in place because we’re afraid of being rejected or found out to whom we really are. We wind up not being free to be real. That day at the well Jesus wanted to get the Samaritan woman to take off her mask and He wants us to do the same. For its when our masks are off that He can help us, water us with His living water, and give us the abundance of His blessings.
There’s no doubt about it we are experts at hiding, covering, accusing, and blaming others. Adam and Eve started this in the garden when they hid from God. It didn’t work for them and it doesn’t work for us either. God knows our deepest darkest secrets. He knows the truth. The things we wouldn’t dare breathe to those closest to us He knows already. We may have an impressive exterior but God knows and sees within. He recognizes who we are.
It’s that simple truth that makes our quote for the day accurate about how “we can’t hold on to our mask and cling to God at the same time.” The beauty of it all is the fact we don’t need to. When we let go of our mask we are free to hold on to Jesus. Sadly enough we think we need a mask because that’s what people want. It’s not what people want that we should concern ourselves with but what God wants in our lives. He wants us to be free.
So people, masks off and Jesus on is the motto we should live by.
© 2010 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
As Halloween was approaching excitement from the grandkids could be seen as they thought about what they want to be for the Holiday. While some lean towards their favorite character they want to imitate others were going for the spooky and scary. No matter how young or old they all enjoyed the challenge of disguising themselves to where they thought no one would recognize them.
Just as quickly as it comes the excitement of the season is often short lived. The minute the holiday passes so does the joy of the temporary masquerade. Unfortunately as much as we might think the season for masquerades have come and gone we find ourselves frequently living life behind a mask as often as daily instead of once a year. We are under the impression we can cling to our mask and God at the same time. We fail to see that with God we don’t need a mask. After all God knows everything behind our mask anyway.
Like the Samaritan woman in the Bible who thought she could hide who she was to Jesus we try to do the same and it just doesn’t work. No matter how many times our efforts have failed we continue to try. We find great security in keeping our masks in place because we’re afraid of being rejected or found out to whom we really are. We wind up not being free to be real. That day at the well Jesus wanted to get the Samaritan woman to take off her mask and He wants us to do the same. For its when our masks are off that He can help us, water us with His living water, and give us the abundance of His blessings.
There’s no doubt about it we are experts at hiding, covering, accusing, and blaming others. Adam and Eve started this in the garden when they hid from God. It didn’t work for them and it doesn’t work for us either. God knows our deepest darkest secrets. He knows the truth. The things we wouldn’t dare breathe to those closest to us He knows already. We may have an impressive exterior but God knows and sees within. He recognizes who we are.
It’s that simple truth that makes our quote for the day accurate about how “we can’t hold on to our mask and cling to God at the same time.” The beauty of it all is the fact we don’t need to. When we let go of our mask we are free to hold on to Jesus. Sadly enough we think we need a mask because that’s what people want. It’s not what people want that we should concern ourselves with but what God wants in our lives. He wants us to be free.
So people, masks off and Jesus on is the motto we should live by.
© 2010 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
5 comments:
Karen, I loved writing on this quote. I thought this sentence of yours seemed to sum it all up:
"When we let go of our mask we are free to hold on to Jesus."
Amen to that!
blessings and love,
Debbie
I like your point that Adam and Eve started this hiding pattern in humans when they hid from God after sinning. So can I blame my hiding on them?! I liked this quote Karen. Thanks for hosting.
Wondeful post Karen! We truly cannot hide anything from Jesus, so why do we try so hard? Thank you for hosting this week.
Hi, I'm new to Writing Canvas, but certainly not new to the issue of masks. This was a great quote to comment upon.
Funny thing about masks, they muffle our testimony. God frees us from that!
Have a good day - Marsha Y.
Karen,
I am new to Writing Canvas, but unfortunately not new to masks. You chose a great quote to comment upon.
Funney thing about masks, they muffle our testimony. Jesus frees us from that! Have a good day.
Marsha
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