We serve a merciful God- but to have mercy there has to be judgment or sentence we had to escape. I have been impressed this past Father’s Day with the thought that was uplifted in a CE Program on the “Faith of Our Fathers.” The question is are we continuing in that Faith. The next morning I opened my eyes to Isaiah and starting to read at random until the last chapter. At first I felt like the Ethiopian and became somewhat discouraged at what I could understand, then I read of “ But to this man I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Isa.66:2 After this it talks of how men though they appear they just slay an ox it is as if they slew a man, and when they burned incense it was as if they blessed an idol, because “When I called, none did answer; when I spake they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.” Is. 66:4 The Lord then declares how he will recompense His enemies, before he opens up another beautiful promise of his kingdom of Zion. She will travail and bring a man child and bring forth her children and rejoice with her and she shall comfort us. The promise is to spread abroad to the Gentiles, “Like a flowing stream”. This sign will be spread to “isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.” 66:19 The promises continued and I felt so thankful to be a part of this heritage and be a part of this seed. Along with this thankfulness a soberness descended of the great responsibility it is to be a part of this “New heaven and Earth”. Right beside these promises, God also promises to consume His enemies. It promises to the men that have transgressed and rejected his plan: their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be abhorring unto all flesh. Then the book of Isaiah’s closes and Jeremiahs opens. In my early youth searching for the Lord these books helped me make judgments on sin in my life and many verses are marked for my reminders, that God is not mocked whatsoever a man soweth this shall he also reap Gal.6:7. Jeremiah calls out for repentance to those that hold a form of righteousness, but really are backsliders, unrepentant, are hearers but not doers and yet when in the time of their trouble they will say, arise and save us. Jer. 2:27.
Down this line of thought I have been reflecting on our Savior. His love. His life. His suffering. His sacrifice. His Grace. He offers to take our burdens and relieve us of our cares if we but follow him. His blood is there to cover our sins. He is their to make intercession for us and hear our prayers. He gave us His Word to follow and understand His will. He gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us through the manifold decisions we face everyday. Such service, such blessings, so many promises as Isaiah said would be poured out like a “flowing stream” to all flesh. To really accept this mighty benefit comes at no small cost-We must give up ourselves and allow Him to use us as it pleases him. Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:1. Which is your reasonable service. In the light of the promises of God that we read about and witness from day to day we can only accept that to be a living sacrifice is only to be reasonable. We deserve way less even death if it were not for Jesus Christ.
However it is only the meek, contrite, hearts that will fit through the “strait gate”. It is not to the strong, the willful, knowledgeable or to the willfully ignorant. It is for the humble. The ones that fear God. We live in an enlightened age, but I fear too many times we appear before God as naked creatures. We have allowed ourselves to sleep in many areas in our lives. We got the knowledge of centuries behind us but we can’t meet the simple requirement of the truly contrite heart. Jesus had no place to lay His head, and yet when we go to worship him we desire a soft place to sit and a temperature to suit are fancy. We do not like noise of children to distract us--we like carpets to walk on. We like the speakers voice to be moderated to a volume which we can control. Sometimes I wonder if we should not be more uncomfortable while listening to the Word of God. The shifting of our flesh on hard benches to remind of us of the way of the flesh. The stifling heat and sweat to remind us of the fate of the earth. The unpleasant noises to remind us of how the devil’s distractions. The hard surface under our feet to remind us that the way is not going to be easy. To come from such a setting you realize these people gathered for a purpose and not creature comforts. I am talking Spiritual and not purely focusing on temporal comfort. Yet perhaps fashion would de dampened a little if you knew you were going to sweat in it.
I am speaking to my self as well as to whoever may read this article. Do I only call out to God when I am at wits end? Is my faith mainly for those occasions when I have run out of options? Do we really desire the Lord? Do I really love my neighbor as myself? Would I be living my life complacently if I really believed in the weakness of my flesh and my neighbor’s and our chances if we do not fully trust in the Lord to guide us through these perilous times?
We can comfort our selves in the direction we receive from our ministers, brethren, and heritage, but that does not allow us to escape the reality that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. The Lord says “to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”
Since we see we see through a glass darkly it does not seem open to me to point at things. It only seems God wants to show us all His goodness and glory to us that are of His people and warn us of His coming judgment. He is a righteous judge that will judge the conditions of the heart.
Why would I need to repent as a Christian? 1. How attached am I to this world? 2. Do I really believe in the judgments of God? 3. If I do what am I doing about it? 4. Am I concerned about the souls of man? 5. What is my prayers directed at? Are they to relieve the needs I see around me are they thankful to the goodness of God?
What need I do? Pray, Pray, Pray. Pray for vision, Pray for Repentance, and Pray for Revival.
This is my inspiration for Today
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