The Inner Circle

A visual thought I had: Concentric rings of hedge, 

📖 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. Job 1:10 

Satan speaking to God about Job. 

Who doesn't want a hedge of protection?!

📖 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

They are called a labyrinth, made from hedges!

There is an opening in the wall of shrubbery to enter and follow the path as we find the way to the center.

In my mind it represents our lives; we have a pathway before us with many twists and turns and there is an entrance to that path, an easy access, but how many of us bull straight through the hard way...getting snagged and scratched and poked along as we go, slugging it out in the brush rather than finding the path.

📖He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2

Jesus was speaking about pruning away the stuff that has grown up around us and in us that gets in the way of our relationship with Him...but sometimes it may be what we have gotten ourselves into that gets in the way and needs pruning away.

We want that inner place....the peace that we can find in it...that close relationship with Him.

How can we get inside that hedge an easier way?

By making sure our focus is on Him....He gives us clear direction in His word.

📖 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

📖  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

📖 He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

If God is before us...then we will know the direction to that opening in the hedge.

Many of us have to learn along the way...we jump in thinking we have got this...but we are allowing self-centeredness, pride, self righteousness to lure us into thinking we know what we are doing. Or anger, jealousy or bitterness have clouded our hearts and we plunge ahead blindly, and then we are missing the peace we were hoping to find within that hedge 

📖 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

If we are still and allow our focus to be on Him

we can have humility,  gentleness,  kindness 

and love...

📖 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

📖 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

and we find ourselves right at the opening...we can step through, follow Him and find peace with Him.

However...my visual imagery is one of concentric circles!  It is a continuous journey!

🙏I pray you seek Him today, so that you see His path clearly, and you find the way to peace. ❤

🎵 Step By Step. Rich Mullins