A Daily Word from the Word for Tuesday, February 19, 2013
“And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.
So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. Then he said: ‘Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren.’ And he said: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant.’” – Genesis 9:20-27
This story has been rising up in my spirit for the past two weeks. As people of God, we must be about covering our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and those that are in our lives. We must cover our natural family as well as our spiritual family.
God honored the sons that covered their father’s shame; while the Father of all fathers rebuked the son that exposed Noah’s shame. Noah “knew” it was his younger son who committed this offense, because God had told him; therefore, it was by the Spirit of the Father, that Noah rebuked his son.
Just as it was the younger son who acted foolishly, it is a sign of spiritual immaturity for a son or daughter of the Most High King, to expose the shame of their natural or spiritual kin, or those who God has placed in our lives and visa versa.
God is not talking about enabling others, nor is the Most Righteous Father speaking of or condoning being a party to illegal or unethical behavior or actions. Our Heavenly Father is speaking of when people stumble, when a precious soul gives in to a moment of weakness. It is during these times that we are to cover these short-comings with the grace of the Father. Matthew 7:2 sounds the alarm “the measure that you measure, it will be measured to you.” In other words, the same standards, the same level of grace that you extend to others will be measured or extended back to you. This verse should serve as a point of protection. When we cover the shame of others, we cover our own shame; however, when we expose our spiritual and natural parents, and our brothers and sisters’ shame, we are exposing our own.
I don’t know about you, family, but I need all the grace I can get! I need a daily covering of God’s mercy and grace to more than make up the difference where I fall short! I thank my Most Gracious Father for delivering His fresh mercies to me every morning (Lamentations 3:23). I need God’s grace as much as I need oxygen to breathe. I can’t live without the Father’s goodness and mercy. And I thank God that He is a faithful and merciful Father.
The world does too good a job of exposing people all on its own without our help! Instead of fanning the flames of sin and shame, let us light a fire of a different kind.
Father, thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for being a good God and a faithful Father. We repent of every time we exposed rather than covering with Your mercy. Forgive us, Father. Help us to be ever so mindful of Your mercy and grace, which endure forever. Help us to extend Your mercy and grace to others. Help us to measure out Your grace and mercy in awe-inspiring abundance. In Jesus Name, we thank You that we are for others, a pleasant place of shelter. Amen and Amen.
Take action! Challenge your thinking! Choose to receive the new mercies of the Father each and every morning. Choose to walk in the goodness, grace, and mercy of the Most High King. Make it a practice to extend God’s mercy to all you meet, because it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). And continue to fight the good fight of engaging in cover-ups; for God, your Ultimate Covering, has already given you the victory!
God tells us that we are blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:2). Be a blessing to someone by sending them this word of encouragement. If God did not already put someone in your spirit and on your heart that needs to read this uplifting message from above, simply ask your Heavenly Father who to bless on today. Forward this message right now by email, facebook, or twitter.
May God Bless you and keep you always.
With warmest regards,
And, in service of The Most High King,
Matthew
Matthew.Gargano@HMDMinistries.com
© 2013.
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Matthew is founder of HMD Ministries, and sits under the leadership of Apostle Dr. Don Lyon of Faith Center Ministries International in Rockford, Illinois, where he serves as an associate pastor.
All references to Hebrew and Greek words and meanings, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance © 1990 by Thomas Nelson Publishing. All dictionary references are taken from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary © 2013, unless otherwise noted.
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