Who can contend and remain unscathed?

 "God is Wise in Heart

    and Mighty in Strength;

Who has withstood Him

    and remained Unscathed?"

                            -JOB 9:4


*I love the idea of this encounter with God as described by Job.  The word unscathed is used in a wonderful way.  When we bring our deepest thoughts, feelings, words to God and dump them onto his lap we cannot expect to walk away unscathed.

If we only bring him the 'sugar and spice' superficial musings of our lives but hold back the deepest corners of our heart we will never fully be affected by God's love and power.  But if are truly honest and bring forward all the pieces of our lives, particularly those that are hurting, wounded, bruised, confused, suffering, angry, jilted, abused ... when we bring all these real parts of ourselves - we will not walk away unscathed.  

We will walk away changed because we have encountered the real God by sharing of our real selves.

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