1 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 15& 16; Colossians 1

1 Kings 16: 25-26 But as far as God was concerned, Omri lived an evil life—set new records in evil. He walked in the footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who not only sinned but dragged Israel into his sins, making God angry—such an empty-headed, empty-hearted life!

2 Chron. 15: 1-6 Then Azariah son of Obed, moved by the Spirit of God, went out to meet Asa. He said, "Listen carefully, Asa, and listen Judah and Benjamin: God will stick with you as long as you stick with him. If you look for him he will let himself be found; but if you leave him he'll leave you. For a long time Israel didn't have the real God, nor did they have the help of priest or teacher or book. But when they were in trouble and got serious, and decided to seek God, the God of Israel, God let himself be found. At that time it was a dog-eat-dog world; life was constantly up for grabs—no one, regardless of country, knew what the next day might bring. Nation battered nation, city pummeled city. God let loose every kind of trouble among them.

Who's in my foxhole, who's in yours?
That question is just so prevalent in my mind since my son asking us, well, telling us how they use the metaphor (or is it analogy) w/his football boys.

Then this weekend we said Good bye to our Small Group and were sent off w/so much love and encouragement and challenge.....watched a baby Christian, brand new believer respectfully question a jaded cynical wounded believer it was a beautiful thing to watch AFTER they listened to each other...that the baby saw the wounds before the wounded older believer made me sad and yet left me wondering why / how she lost her eyes being as she has known Him for so much longer...........we watched Defiance.....and drove to Iowa and had amazing conversations about Spiritual things...oh yeah and Friday watched an incredible Larry Crabb video w/ a room full of Small Group leaders at various stages of God hunger and passion....
Small Group leaders I am coaching...I am called to inspire....to challenge.....and not sure if they'd want me or I them in a foxhole in a battle???......wondering how to become that person, if I'm supposed to want to or care if they want me........wondering how to help others see their lives as 'empty headed and empty hearted', how to not myself live that way......wondering how to help them become passionate God hungry followers of Christ and if that's right or just my take on it...?? Wondering AGAIN how to call people to lives of FREEDOM when I live so bound....Colossians 1: 21-23 You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message.

To live in Your circumstances 'responsively obedient' to You.....till then, wondering.