Fake Fingernails and Renewed Commitments

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On the drive to work I couldn't help but admire how pretty my new Kiss press on nails looked on my hand.  As you know if you have read my blogs before I REALLY like beauty products, whether it is face creams, makeup, press on nails or even  the occasional set of false eyelashes-I have tried them all!  This particular day I was sporting my new set of nails which had applied the night before.

 Arriving at the office I began my usual morning ritual to prepare for the day's patients.  Then it was off to the break room  with my glass to get my morning soft drink 'fix'.  While I was in there I saw a cake someone had brought I decided to just break off a piece and eat it right there. 

Sitting down at my desk, I began to type on my keyboard and then realized one of my press on nails had POPPED OFF!!!!!  It had to have been lost sometime between the time that I arrived at the office and sat down at my desk.  After searching my department with no success-it hit me...did I loose it in the break room?  Horror of horrors--how terrible it would be if someone looked down and saw my fingernail floating in their drink or stuck to the side of their piece of cake!!!  So I composed the following email to all the employees.
"This morning about 20 minutes after my arrival at work I realized that my fake fingernail had popped off.  I tried to retrace my steps...which led me to the chocolate cake in the break room as well as the ice maker.  I was unsuccessful in locating the missing nail.  I apologize if you come across the thing but don't be alarmed--my hands were very clean when I lost it!"
Thankfully, no one reported locating the nail.  The beauty that I got from the fake fingernail was just that- "fake."  That is fine with me when it comes to physical beauty, but I don't want to be that way when it comes to who I am spiritually.  A want to be a woman with real substance. 

A couple of weeks ago I attended a women's meeting in a nearby town.  Words can not adequately express how I felt after that meeting.  Now before I continue  you must understand that  I LOVE the Lord-I LOVE spending time in His Word and talking to Him.  When I arrived at the meeting that night,  I thought I WAS on fire for God-but when I left I realized  what I had was just a couple of burning embers compared to the woman I met that night.  There was such a fire coming from her that I wanted what she had.

I want to be more than just a good Bible Study girl!  Scripture says,
"For the Lord your God is a consuming fire...." Deut 4: 24
The Hebrew word for 'consuming' is akal which means 'to eat.'  We see the same words in Hebrews 12:29.  In Greek the word 'consuming'  has the implication 'to consume all the way.'  As we might say in the South "I want to be eat up with God." I want Him to be what consumes me but unfortunately, I get so consumed with other things-maybe even good things-that I settle for so much less than what He has in store for me.  Scripture says He is a "consuming fire".   Fire has been  used since Bible times   to break down and shape materials for use.  How does God want to apply His fire to use and shape me for His use?
I love to laugh and I praise God that He gave me that type of personality, but I want to be serious when it comes to the things of God.  Not just serious about reading scripture but serious about breaking it apart and really studying it.  Never do I want to be content to sit and only be fed what God revealed to someone else, instead I want to receive  a fresh word from Him.  No longer do I want to sit and list my requests to God and then walk away as if to check praying off my list of things to do that day.  Instead, I want to sit at the feet of Jesus and not only talk to Him, but listen-really listen- to what He has to say to me.  When He calls me I want to say "Here I am, Lord" and be willing to be used in the way He chooses. 

What about you?  Are you ready to let our "consuming fire" consume you? Are you ready to be a woman of real substance?

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