Beneath the surface

The countenance of a man is not always an accurate reflection of the condition of his heart. When the sands of time wear away at all that we build upon the surface, what remains is the bare truth. Sometime the things emerging from beneath the surface are emotionally crippling and other times they may be hidden strengths. We must see that what ever is kept beneath the surface affects what the world sees, no matter how hard we try to hide it. 1SAM 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. The heart of a man has a strange way of revealing all that he is. You may try so hard to hide all the emotions and pain that you feel right now but your heart has no face but the one that everyone sees. All the smiles and exuberant gesticulations are never enough to camouflage the bitterness of genuine pain and hurt.
Everything that the anointed of GOD experiences must be credited to GOD, like Job said, the LORD giveth and the LORD taketh away. The good, the bad and the ugly all fits into God’s divine purpose, credit nothing to the devil for he has no authority over you, at least he shouldn’t, that’s up to you. What you do with all that you’ve experienced is of utmost importance. What are you doing with all your life’s experiences, are you hiding them beneath the surface or are you giving them to God for his glory. GOD SHOWED ME THIS.
Jacob said to his people-Gen 25:3And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
Jacob came to Bethel which is translated as the ‘HOUSE OF GOD’. There he proceeds to rename a certain place in Bethel and call it EL-BETHEL. El means GOD therefore he called that place- The GOD of the HOUSE of GOD. This indicates specificity, showing us that now he clearly identifies that his GOD is the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and now Jacob. JEHOVAH GOD has now identified himself to Jacob through all that he has experienced. At the same time of his naming the place ELBETHEL, Rebekah’s (Jacob’s mother) nurse died. Gen 35:8 But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth (The oak of weeping).
Jacob began to mourn for he buried Deborah (Rebekah’s nurse). He buried her in ELBETHEL that was renamed ‘[the oak of weeping’ for she was buried under the oak tree. Deborah was the only remnant of Rebekah that Jacob had. She also represented all that GOD did in Jacob’s life. She was there when Abraham’s servant found Rebekah for Isaac. Deborah was there when Rebekah jumped off her camel to meet Isaac. Deborah was there when Jacob was sent away by Rebekah, running from Esau. Deborah was there when Jacob was born; she was there when Jacob wrestled with the angel beyond the river. Deborah was Jacob’s living testimony, whenever he would give a story of what GOD had done and no one believed, he had the pleasure of saying ask Deborah. Now Deborah was dead, his living testimony was dead. Deborah was Jacob’s link to all that he treasured beneath the surface. All his pleasure and pain was encapsulated in Deborah. Jacob did a wise thing, he buried her in ELBETHEL, he buried his past, his testimony, in the GOD of the HOUSE of GOD.
This is where everything we have needs to be placed. Everything needs to be planted in GOD for all that GOD has done in us could grow to affect the world. There are so many testimonies out there that remain as a seed but they must be planted in GOD. Jacob left that pace calling it the OAK tree of weeping.
Many years later standing under the same tree, if not the same, a similar tree is a judge in Israel. The name of that Judge was Deborah. She lived under a tree called ‘The palm tree of Deborah’. Judges 4:4And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
The Oak of weeping was changed to the Palm tree to signify rejoicing. Israel was in bondage however, and they were severely oppressed. Standing under that tree was a seed that Jacob had planted many years before, a seed that would elevate them out of bondage. When Israel heard the name of Deborah and saw the tree behind her they would remember Jacob, his life, his testimony and HIS GOD. What lay beneath the surface of that parched worn earth that Deborah stood upon was the body of another Deborah who knew that GOD was GOD. The stuff that was beneath the surface, planted by Jacob was enough to lift a nation. Israel defeated the enemy through the word of Deborah the judge who in no doubt was a direct inspiration of Deborah, the testimony of Jacob, Rebekah’s nurse.
The stuff we bury inside may hurt and so many times work to destroy us. Those of you that have kept things inside, past hurts, maybe you were abused as a child, a broken heart, raped, molested, abandoned, would identify with the tendency to bury those things deep within you while struggling with them throughout your lifetime. GOD is saying that if you are to bury them, bury them in him. He will let those same things bloom like the palm of Deborah to inject life into a generation that needs to hear your testimony. Let everything that you consist of be planted in Jesus Christ so that your life will bloom like the Garden of Eden. Do not abandon all that you’ve faced, if you do then they would count for nothing. Sow them into the GOD of the House of GOD and your life will bear fruits that will cause others to live. What lies beneath the surface could be used for GOD.