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CBN.com – All of us have ghosts in our closet -- those secret things that we hope and pray no one ever finds out about; things that were done in the dark outside the purview of prying eyes. What were once major or minor indiscretions become looming specters of our past, peeking over our shoulder. This characteristic seems to reveal itself at important junctures in our lives, sometimes when a promotion or a new job opportunity arises or a new relationship develops that is about to bloom into a serious commitment.
In the public arena, the scrutiny of the press and investigatory agencies dig into every crevice of our lives uncovering artifacts that are then displayed before a watching world. The graves have been opened and out crawl the phantoms of seasons gone by.
Skycam
One of my jobs is being on camera for television. Every small or great thing I do is under scrutiny. If I make a mistake, I hear about it very quickly, from my bosses, from the audience, from my detractors and my admirers. The whole world is watching. One day just prior to going out on a "shoot" for a story, I got in an argument with my wife Nedra. I was right, of course. She just didn't see it that way at the time! However, later when I was talking to people on camera, the thought came into my subconscious, "What if my argument with Nedra was now being broadcast live before the whole TV audience?" The thought made me very nervous. That is not a "show" I would want people to see.
Let me ask you, how do you think your lifestyle or conduct would change if you knew that everything you did was being recorded on a video camera and would be shown on "World News Tonight"? Think about what you have done in the last 24 hours or the last few days. Is there anything that might cause you embarrassment -- anything that wouldn't exactly be family-fare if we all settled down to watch your life go by for our viewing pleasure?
The Not So Great Cover Up
The actual fact is that everything we are doing is being observed and recorded. We might think that far-fetched. You wouldn't be the first to think that. From the times of antiquity back to our original parents, people have had similar thoughts.
After their original act of sin and disobedience, Adam and Eve hid and covered themselves with the first clothing made of fig leaves, because they didn't want to be exposed. But the Lord found them and asked Adam why he was hiding and how he knew he was naked. Adam's response was a lie and the placing of blame on Eve. It was the beginning of the cover-up that future generations would perpetuate.
Shortly thereafter, Adam and Eve's son Cain killed Abel, becoming the first murderer, and he then attempted to sidestep God's confrontation with an evasive, “Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?” (Genesis 4)
It was in the genes of the family of man.
Future generations followed suit:
“How proudly the ungodly speak! They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut through the earth. And asking, How will God find out? Does the Most High know everything?” (Psalm 73.11)
Actually yes, He does. And when one begins to realize that the Most High's Skycam sees those things that people think they are doing in secret, it would tend to cause one to take stock -- especially if you are associated with one of the following: Liars, thieves, leaders who laughed about lies, adulterers burning up with lust, drunkenness, political intrigue and murder, the taking of bribes and refusing justice to the poor. God's people mingling with the heathen and picking up their evil ways, and as a result the whole nation is weakened.
None of it is hidden, for God says, “The people never seem to recognize that I am watching them. I see them all.” (Amos 5; Hosea 6)
And no nation is exempt: “He watches every movement of the nations.” (Psalm 66:7) A nation "under God" in this context takes on a whole other meaning.
Would you want your secret life revealed before all the people?
Actually this should be a common occurrence in a really vibrant spiritual church. Paul the Apostle told the Corinthian church that if an outsider came into the gathering, the prophetic spirit in and among the people would prick his conscience. As a result, as he listens, his secret thoughts will be laid bare and he will fall down on his knees and worship God, declaring that God is really there among you. (1 Corinthians 14. 24-25)
I wonder what that would do in some of our staid Sunday morning church services. People will either run away from, or run to those kind of churches.
Behind the Secret Doors
One of the reasons we don't want to pursue this adventure is that we are afraid of the locked doors of our lives being opened to the hidden chambers of our hearts. Behind these bastions lie the concealed thoughts, aims, motives, purposes, and suppressed memories, that we have built over a life time. It is just a little scary to have them exposed:
“He will turn on the light, so everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)
A number of years ago, in one of those secret times with God, I thought I heard the Lord say to me in that still small voice through the Scriptures, "You are like King David!"
"Wow!" I thought to myself, "even if that isn't the voice of God, I like the idea." And my fantasies went off into visions of personal grandeur: charging off to the battle, slaying Goliath, being the hero, etc. Then after settling down to reality a bit, I prayerfully thought I'd ask the Lord what He meant by equating me with King David.
"Son," He said, "you are like David because you have a murderous and adulteress heart!"
Bam! My personal throne collapsed in a heap of ruins. I felt much like one of the prophets of old, who said when He was confronted by God, “Woe to me, I am undone!”
We are all carrying secrets around. We have all built walls. Many of us live in fear we will be found out. But, as we have discussed, the Lord knows all about it already:
“There is nothing concealed that won't be disclosed. Whatever is said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be broadcast from the housetops for all to hear!” ( Luke 12:3)
One of the realities of opening up the secret doors is that light comes in, and shines in all the dark corners, revealing everything hidden in the crevices of our inner rooms.
Your secrets can be dealt with in secret with the Lord now or broadcast everywhere later. One way or the other it is going to be exposed. However, it is important to know, that God doesn't do this so that He might beat you to death with a big stick or embarrass you; His purpose is to heal you and set you free from the secret corpse you have been carrying through life.
Some Solutions in Getting Free
To sum up the whole matter; here is my final conclusion: fear God and obey His commandments, for this is every person's duty. “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or bad.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
How is your secret life?
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