GOTCHA!

     As I strolled around our homestead the other day, I was able to capture some wild creatures.  Not literally, but on my camera.  It was a "gotcha" moment for a squirrel, a rabbit and a cardinal as they went about their business of finding food.  Just as I had caught these creatures unaware with my camera, so God catches me when I step outside His will for my life.  It never ceases to amaze me either.  I may think I have avoided detection with something I did or I thought, but God doesn't miss a beat.  He knows it before I even over step my bounds.  Then, He graciously uncovers my sin in order to bring correction.  Let me illustrate.                                     When I was a little girl, we had neighbor children that came over to play.  We often mimicked what we saw on television.  One day we were playing cowboys and Indians and I took a toy gun and hit a little boy over the head with it.  I thought he would fall down and be okay like they did on television.  The problem was that the toy gun cut his scalp, and he began bleeding.  One of the older children yelled at me and put a tee shirt over the cut in his head.  Naturally, a scalp wound looks worse than it was so I was very scared.  I ran into our house and never said a word to my parents.  Then, the call came in the evening concerning the incident.  The parents of the little boy relayed what had happened, and my parents marched into my room and confronted me with this news.  Needless to say, I began to cry and sob.  I had been found out, and the worst part was that I had not even admitted to my parents what I had done.  I thought it would just go away, and no one would know.  Naturally, my parents disciplined me and made me apologize for what I had done.  From reading this, you might conclude that I had learned my lesson.  However, at various stages of my life I have had those "gotcha" moments, and every time, God has dealt with me.  I also know that I am not the only one who has been caught doing something I should not do.  In fact, sin is common to all men even Christians.
     Looking into scripture, we can see why God captures us in those "gotcha" moments and brings discipline into our life.  Hebrews 12:5-11 reads:  "And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him.  For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.'  It is for discipline that you have to endure.  God is treating you as sons.  For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  if you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them.  Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?.  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
     Seeing things from God's perspective, then, makes us aware that He is trying to produce holiness in our lives.  If He did not love us, He would not care how we lived.  However, He proved through the blood of His only Son just how much He loved us.  Therefore, he continues to pursue the work of perfecting us through His righteous discipline.  Yes, it does hurt and seem painful when we are going through that time of having to face up to our sin.  Yet, the peaceful fruit of right living it produces in us is worth the discomfort.  I am glad that God calls us up short before we rush head long over a cliff of sin. 
     Two basic things I have learned over and over again as the Lord has dealt with me.  First, there is nothing we can do that ever remains hidden.  God uncovers all wrong doing and sin eventually.  Secondly, He will bring discipline to the sons/daughters whom He loves.  The only way to avoid both of these things is to live in obedience to Him.  However, when we stumble, we do have the assurance of His forgiveness when we confess our sins (I John 1:9).

      We don't have to live  a "deer in the headlights" kind of existence fearing we will be found out.  We can live the grace filled life by walking in the Spirit daily, staying in His Word and keeping short accounts through prayer.  This is our weaponry and protection.  Let us use it to His glory in our lives so we do not have to experience those painful and embarrassing "gotcha" moments in life.  Selah!