My eldest son came in the den last night and said, “I just don’t understand. Why would the dogs drink out the nasty water that is in the puddles in the yard, when they have clean, fresh drinking water in their bowl.” I just sat and smiled. He responded by asking “what are you smiling about.” I just said, “it is a good word picture, isn’t it.” That is when my fourteen year old piped into the conversation, saying “why would we drink out of the sewers of the world, when we could drink from the fountain of God-His pure water?”
I didn’t even have to give an answer. My sons clued in pretty quick. It made no sense that the dogs would walk right past the pure drinking water and lap up the water from the puddles in the grass. And yet, don’t we do the same thing. Don’t we walk right past the fountain of living water and drink from our own cisterns, from the world’s sewer.
It doesn’t make sense for the dogs and it doesn’t make sense for us. Except to say, we are no smarter than the dogs. Wisdom would help us to choose to drink not from the sewer but from the Savior. Not from the puddle but from the pure. And yet, much like a sow that returns to the mire or a dog that returns to its vomit, we return to the world instead of drinking deeply from the pure water that will satisfy every thirst.
Perhaps, we need to double check what we are doing. Are we no better than the dogs?
ALL FOR YOU
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
exodus 22
Have you ever heard someone blame shift when it came to their sin? Of course you have. You have even been one who does it. It started in the garden with Adam blaming Eve. Eve blaming the serpent. It is the age old deflection technique-that by the way-NEVER WORKS. It just makes you look even worse. Why? Because everyone knows and you are lying, justifying, blameshifting and/or covering up in hopes that you will look better than you are, when in reality you look worse.
This was the case with Aaron. Moses had been up on the Mt. to see God, to receive the 10 commandments. While there, the people got impatient and asked Aaron to make them a “god” to worship. Despite knowing better, Aaron makes a golden calf for the people to worship. When God sees what the people are doing, He is furious and He sends Moses down to confront them and to face God’s discipline.
When Moses confronts Aaron, asking what the people had done to convince him to do such a ludicrous thing, this is his response.
Exod 32:22-24
22 And Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.
23 "For they said to me, 'Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'
24 "And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.' So they gave {it} to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."
Aaron blames THE PEOPLE for being evil and then proclaims that he is not sure how it happened. He just threw some gold into a fire and OUT POPPED this calf. Sounds like an excuse a toddler would give. “I don’t know Mommy, it just popped out. But I didn’t do it.!”
But before we are too harsh on Aaron, let’s self evaluate and confess, that we are no different. We too, blameshift, cover up, lie and justify our sin. And the anger of the Lord burns against us when we do this. Why? Because He is mean and angry and just wants to punish us? NO! God is full of grace and ready to meet us in HIS mercy, however, HE does require that we OWN our sin. We can’t cover it up, make it look or sound nicer than what it is or pretend it just “popped out”. All of us want to be a people that receives His grace, but grace only comes in the confession of and repentance of sin.
I Jn 1:9-10
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
For most of us, confession is an issue. Self evaluation is absent and blame is the name of our game. Perhaps it is time for us to learn from the pages of Scripture. Own it and walk in His grace. Hide and you die.
ALL FOR YOU
This was the case with Aaron. Moses had been up on the Mt. to see God, to receive the 10 commandments. While there, the people got impatient and asked Aaron to make them a “god” to worship. Despite knowing better, Aaron makes a golden calf for the people to worship. When God sees what the people are doing, He is furious and He sends Moses down to confront them and to face God’s discipline.
When Moses confronts Aaron, asking what the people had done to convince him to do such a ludicrous thing, this is his response.
Exod 32:22-24
22 And Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.
23 "For they said to me, 'Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'
24 "And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.' So they gave {it} to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."
Aaron blames THE PEOPLE for being evil and then proclaims that he is not sure how it happened. He just threw some gold into a fire and OUT POPPED this calf. Sounds like an excuse a toddler would give. “I don’t know Mommy, it just popped out. But I didn’t do it.!”
But before we are too harsh on Aaron, let’s self evaluate and confess, that we are no different. We too, blameshift, cover up, lie and justify our sin. And the anger of the Lord burns against us when we do this. Why? Because He is mean and angry and just wants to punish us? NO! God is full of grace and ready to meet us in HIS mercy, however, HE does require that we OWN our sin. We can’t cover it up, make it look or sound nicer than what it is or pretend it just “popped out”. All of us want to be a people that receives His grace, but grace only comes in the confession of and repentance of sin.
I Jn 1:9-10
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
For most of us, confession is an issue. Self evaluation is absent and blame is the name of our game. Perhaps it is time for us to learn from the pages of Scripture. Own it and walk in His grace. Hide and you die.
ALL FOR YOU
Thursday, February 10, 2011
reset
I was cooking meatballs in my crockpot for dinner. I just love the crockpot. It makes for easy cooking when you have to work and need to get something for dinner together for the family. So, I put the meatballs in the crockpot and turned the power to low. About an hour and half later, I came back to check on them only to find that they were still uncooked. I began to investigate and I realized that there was no power getting to the crockpot. Somehow the test button had gotten pushed on the plug and the power was not getting to the meatballs. I hit the reset button and the power came right on. But now, my dinner was going to be late because I had no power because of the test.
Sometimes I feel like my meatballs. A test comes and it seems like I have no power and what I need to get done, doesn’t get done. Or I find myself frustrated at the lack of power. However, I am realizing that sometimes the answer is as simple as a reset button. The power is readily available, the test is in play, all I need is to reset and go.
For me, the reset often looks like a change in perspective, but most of the time it consists of me allowing my heart to sync up to the power source itself instead of just plugging in and going-without ever checking to see if the power is actually flowing. This means taking the time to reset. Taking the time to adjust my lens, adjust my heart and letting the power of God within do the job. I have all I need readily available in the test, I just have to reset so that I don’t try in my flesh or assume all is well, but instead lean into HIS power for the accomplishing of all things.
Perhaps you are like me and in need of a reset. Sometimes that takes getting still. Other times it means a friend holding you accountable or asking the right questions to hit the right “button” to make the power come on. Whatever it is, in the test, the meatballs never get done if you don’t reset.
ALL FOR YOU
Sometimes I feel like my meatballs. A test comes and it seems like I have no power and what I need to get done, doesn’t get done. Or I find myself frustrated at the lack of power. However, I am realizing that sometimes the answer is as simple as a reset button. The power is readily available, the test is in play, all I need is to reset and go.
For me, the reset often looks like a change in perspective, but most of the time it consists of me allowing my heart to sync up to the power source itself instead of just plugging in and going-without ever checking to see if the power is actually flowing. This means taking the time to reset. Taking the time to adjust my lens, adjust my heart and letting the power of God within do the job. I have all I need readily available in the test, I just have to reset so that I don’t try in my flesh or assume all is well, but instead lean into HIS power for the accomplishing of all things.
Perhaps you are like me and in need of a reset. Sometimes that takes getting still. Other times it means a friend holding you accountable or asking the right questions to hit the right “button” to make the power come on. Whatever it is, in the test, the meatballs never get done if you don’t reset.
ALL FOR YOU
Monday, February 07, 2011
replacement value
Replacement Value
Insurance companies don’t just insure for the cost of something when it is purchased. Most insure for replacement value. In other words, what it would cost to replace that item now, in the condition it is in. It is a pretty good concept, if something is torn down or lost it is vital to insure that you can replace it. Most of us understand this principle when it comes to insurance, but what about in our spiritual lives.
The Word says that we are to tear down strongholds and vain imaginations. (2 Cor 10:5) And EVERY lofty thought that exalts itself above God. For many of us, we need to do some demolition work in our minds. We need to tear down that which has is a stronghold of thought. That which doesn’t match up to the Word. We need to destroy those thought patterns in us that don’t lead us to live in a manner that lines up with the Word. But the work doesn’t stop with the demolishing. There is a need for REPLACEMENT VALUE.
Psalm 119:11 says that as we hide the Word of God in our hearts, we will not sin against God. In the previous verses it says that we can keep our way PURE by living according to the Word. We can live what we don’t know and we can’t know what we don’t study, read and meditate on. It is NOT enough for us to tear down destructive thoughts and thought patterns or things that don’t line up with the Word. We must replace those thoughts with the WORD itself, so that we will not sin or return to the sin we tried to tear down.
So often, we try to tear down the thoughts, refute them, deny them, but we do so without clinging to or replacing those thoughts with truth and the Word. We must REPLACE the sin, with the WORD. If we are not, we WILL return-not to God, but to the sin. It is the Word that sets us apart and does the sanctifying work in our lives. (John 17)
The question for us is are we tearing down the strongholds? But more importantly, do we understand replacement value? That we must immediately replace the stronghold of thought with truth so we don’t fall temptation to sin.
As for me, “I will run in the path of YOUR COMMANDS for you are setting my heart free.” Psm 119:32.
“My soul is crushed with longing after your commands at ALL times.” Psm 119:20
Tear down what is keeping you from and replace with what will!
ALL FOR YOU
Insurance companies don’t just insure for the cost of something when it is purchased. Most insure for replacement value. In other words, what it would cost to replace that item now, in the condition it is in. It is a pretty good concept, if something is torn down or lost it is vital to insure that you can replace it. Most of us understand this principle when it comes to insurance, but what about in our spiritual lives.
The Word says that we are to tear down strongholds and vain imaginations. (2 Cor 10:5) And EVERY lofty thought that exalts itself above God. For many of us, we need to do some demolition work in our minds. We need to tear down that which has is a stronghold of thought. That which doesn’t match up to the Word. We need to destroy those thought patterns in us that don’t lead us to live in a manner that lines up with the Word. But the work doesn’t stop with the demolishing. There is a need for REPLACEMENT VALUE.
Psalm 119:11 says that as we hide the Word of God in our hearts, we will not sin against God. In the previous verses it says that we can keep our way PURE by living according to the Word. We can live what we don’t know and we can’t know what we don’t study, read and meditate on. It is NOT enough for us to tear down destructive thoughts and thought patterns or things that don’t line up with the Word. We must replace those thoughts with the WORD itself, so that we will not sin or return to the sin we tried to tear down.
So often, we try to tear down the thoughts, refute them, deny them, but we do so without clinging to or replacing those thoughts with truth and the Word. We must REPLACE the sin, with the WORD. If we are not, we WILL return-not to God, but to the sin. It is the Word that sets us apart and does the sanctifying work in our lives. (John 17)
The question for us is are we tearing down the strongholds? But more importantly, do we understand replacement value? That we must immediately replace the stronghold of thought with truth so we don’t fall temptation to sin.
As for me, “I will run in the path of YOUR COMMANDS for you are setting my heart free.” Psm 119:32.
“My soul is crushed with longing after your commands at ALL times.” Psm 119:20
Tear down what is keeping you from and replace with what will!
ALL FOR YOU
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
why do we go to church
Why do we go to church? It really is a good question. And for many a struggle. We seem to make it work on time, to play on time, but worship? I’ll get there when I get there. We seem to make school a priority, homework, housework and entertainment something we won’t miss, but church? Despite the fact that one of the 10 commandments says “remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor but on the seventh you shall rest from your labor.” Sounds like a good idea. A day off. But is that really what the Sabbath is about?
In Exod 31:12-17, the Word makes it even clearer why we OBSERVE the Sabbath.
12 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
13 "But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for {this} is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
14 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.
15 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death.
16 'So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.'
17 "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased {from labor,} and was refreshed."
To observe the Sabbath is to cease from labor and be refreshed. To observe the Sabbath is to celebrate the Covenant God has with us. It is a sign between God and us. It isn’t optional!
Yet, it is so much more than a day off. It isn’t about taking long naps, enjoying our favorite hobby. It is about setting aside time to be refreshed by God-a HOLY day. A day set apart to focus our hearts fully on the Lord. So much of our “Sabbaths” are not this. They are about family time, family dinner, watching ball or catching up on what was left undone from the week. The Sabbath was a HOLY time set apart by God to let the LORD refresh our hearts because we were focused on Him and sitting in HIS PRESENCE all day. Ever come to the end of a Sunday and feel like the life has been drained out of you by all the people? Perhaps that is because focus wasn’t on HIS PRESENCE for the day, but being present for everyone else who is calling your name, but HIM. My favorite moments at church are when I can get still in HIS PRESENCE and just BE-cease striving and just listen. But I also love the moments where as a body we lift our praise to HIM or read HIS Word together. I love finding a friend and praying together or gathering around a table to eat, but truly dine on HIS WORD. These are moments of refreshing.
Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
Refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord. Not a nap or some form of entertainment or even time with our family. The Sabbath is a time to cease from all that and seek the LORD so that we might be refreshed.
ALL FOR YOU
In Exod 31:12-17, the Word makes it even clearer why we OBSERVE the Sabbath.
12 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
13 "But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for {this} is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
14 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.
15 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death.
16 'So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.'
17 "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased {from labor,} and was refreshed."
To observe the Sabbath is to cease from labor and be refreshed. To observe the Sabbath is to celebrate the Covenant God has with us. It is a sign between God and us. It isn’t optional!
Yet, it is so much more than a day off. It isn’t about taking long naps, enjoying our favorite hobby. It is about setting aside time to be refreshed by God-a HOLY day. A day set apart to focus our hearts fully on the Lord. So much of our “Sabbaths” are not this. They are about family time, family dinner, watching ball or catching up on what was left undone from the week. The Sabbath was a HOLY time set apart by God to let the LORD refresh our hearts because we were focused on Him and sitting in HIS PRESENCE all day. Ever come to the end of a Sunday and feel like the life has been drained out of you by all the people? Perhaps that is because focus wasn’t on HIS PRESENCE for the day, but being present for everyone else who is calling your name, but HIM. My favorite moments at church are when I can get still in HIS PRESENCE and just BE-cease striving and just listen. But I also love the moments where as a body we lift our praise to HIM or read HIS Word together. I love finding a friend and praying together or gathering around a table to eat, but truly dine on HIS WORD. These are moments of refreshing.
Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
Refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord. Not a nap or some form of entertainment or even time with our family. The Sabbath is a time to cease from all that and seek the LORD so that we might be refreshed.
ALL FOR YOU
Thursday, January 27, 2011
cloud or crowd
Today, I am struggling with words. Not mine, but that of another. So, in an effort to go to the Word for answers, the Lord has brought me to a passage in Numbers 9. God is preparing the people to enter the Promised Land. He has numbered them and set them out to follow the cloud by day and the fire by night in a wilderness where they could easily be lost. God is teaching them to trust Him in every step, not moving without, ahead or behind Him.
Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, “I will give it to you; come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.”
Would it be that we would say these words- COME WITH ME-I am setting out for the PROMISED LAND-to the place of more, good and what the Lord has. COME AWAY WITH ME and let’s seek what God has for us.
For many of us, we are not seeking this path. We are not following the cloud. We are merely wandering in our wilderness. For others of us, we are ready to set out and trying to get those we care about to come along on the journey. It is a great statement. “I am going, come go with me!”
The response Moses got wasn’t the preferred one. He was hoping to get a “YES, I will go” answer, but instead. This is what he got; “I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.”
It doesn’t make any sense? Why would you say no? Why would you look at someone who is asking you to come find more of God and say, I think I will NOT choose what God has, even though it is good. Instead, I will choose MY OWN LAND and RELATIVES. In other words, I will choose MY OWN way, my own family, my own path, my own friends, what I like, what I want, my comfort, instead of going with God.
I read these words and thought, IS HE CRAZY? Why would you say-I will not come, rather choose MY OWN? Yet, isn’t that what so many say. Offered a chance at more, knowing it is their good and standing on the edge, they choose their OWN LAND and RELATIVES instead of what God has for them.
For many, when others choose not to go, it deters them. They are hindered by those who say no. They would rather stay with those who refuse to go, than journey on with God. What would have happened if Moses had chosen to NOT go because who he asked to go said no? An entire nation would have missed the promised land. What will happen if we choose NOT to go because those we love are interested in making that journey?
Don’t you think that years later his father-in-law regretted choosing the safety of his LAND and RELATIVES? I don’t know the answer to that. But I KNOW that Moses NEVER regretted moving on. He chose every time to follow the cloud, not the crowd. And so must we. We can ask others to come, but we can’t force them to follow. We don’t beg and we don’t stop going if they choose differently.
The passage ends with Moses SETTING OUT following the cloud, without the one he asked to go.
There will always be those who choose not to GO. Who don’t want to follow the cloud, but the crowd. There will always be those who are more interested in the CROWD than the cloud. The question is….are you that person?
ALL FOR YOU
Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, “I will give it to you; come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.”
Would it be that we would say these words- COME WITH ME-I am setting out for the PROMISED LAND-to the place of more, good and what the Lord has. COME AWAY WITH ME and let’s seek what God has for us.
For many of us, we are not seeking this path. We are not following the cloud. We are merely wandering in our wilderness. For others of us, we are ready to set out and trying to get those we care about to come along on the journey. It is a great statement. “I am going, come go with me!”
The response Moses got wasn’t the preferred one. He was hoping to get a “YES, I will go” answer, but instead. This is what he got; “I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.”
It doesn’t make any sense? Why would you say no? Why would you look at someone who is asking you to come find more of God and say, I think I will NOT choose what God has, even though it is good. Instead, I will choose MY OWN LAND and RELATIVES. In other words, I will choose MY OWN way, my own family, my own path, my own friends, what I like, what I want, my comfort, instead of going with God.
I read these words and thought, IS HE CRAZY? Why would you say-I will not come, rather choose MY OWN? Yet, isn’t that what so many say. Offered a chance at more, knowing it is their good and standing on the edge, they choose their OWN LAND and RELATIVES instead of what God has for them.
For many, when others choose not to go, it deters them. They are hindered by those who say no. They would rather stay with those who refuse to go, than journey on with God. What would have happened if Moses had chosen to NOT go because who he asked to go said no? An entire nation would have missed the promised land. What will happen if we choose NOT to go because those we love are interested in making that journey?
Don’t you think that years later his father-in-law regretted choosing the safety of his LAND and RELATIVES? I don’t know the answer to that. But I KNOW that Moses NEVER regretted moving on. He chose every time to follow the cloud, not the crowd. And so must we. We can ask others to come, but we can’t force them to follow. We don’t beg and we don’t stop going if they choose differently.
The passage ends with Moses SETTING OUT following the cloud, without the one he asked to go.
There will always be those who choose not to GO. Who don’t want to follow the cloud, but the crowd. There will always be those who are more interested in the CROWD than the cloud. The question is….are you that person?
ALL FOR YOU
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
exodus 19
God leaves nothing to chance. He can’t. He wouldn’t be God if He did. He is all knowing, all present, all powerful and nothing escapes His notice or His plan. He is not taken by surprise, nor is He left wondering what He should do. He is God and there is none other like Him.
Somehow, sometimes, we would like to think we get one over on God. Or that He doesn’t know or see. Or perhaps that He doesn’t care. But what we fail to see is that the joke is on us. God sees and knows.
We think that because God doesn’t act in that moment or because there seems to be no consequence that perhaps we have gotten away with it. But what we fail to recognize is that the very consequence we receive is the very worst thing for us. It is a loss of Him…as we back away from Him.
From the earliest of recorded instructions, God had a plan. He had a way of doing things. A pattern to follow. And when that plan wasn’t followed there was grave consequence.
Think about Adam and Eve. The plan was that they could live in the garden. There was only ONE rule. Don’t eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And when we didn’t follow the plan, withdrawal happened. God removed us from His continual presence and provision, casting man out of the garden.
Think about Noah, the only righteous man on the planet. God saw that every intent of man’s heart was evil and so He chose to destroy all the living creatures, except for Noah and His family. The consequence for sin was deep and had effects far more reaching than eating what was forbidden. Man didn’t follow the plan and now death and separation ensued.
When God gave a pattern for the tabernacle, He intended for it to be followed. He was building a place to meet with His people. We didn’t deserve it, some didn’t even want it. Nevertheless, despite the separation and death, God was at work to restore what we had thrown away. And He had a pattern that had to be followed for that.
His desire has been to make a way for us to be WITH Him. But there is a pattern that MUST be followed. We see this in the intricate detail God gave when He instructed Moses on how to build the tabernacle that He would dwell in. He left nothing to chance or to the imagination. He directed every step.
We can learn a lot from this one idea. God DESIRES to be WITH us, but He is not so desperate for our communion that He tolerates a half way, half hearted effort in meeting with Him. You either come to Him all the way, His way or not at all. He sets the pattern. And when we don’t follow it. We back away from the Living God and find distance-not because God moved, but because we did. Backing away from God’s pattern is a bad idea. It was a bad idea in the garden. It was a bad idea for Jonah. It was a bad idea for Israel. And it is a bad idea for us. His pattern is not a bad idea. It is the only one that gets us into His Presence.
ALL FOR YOU
Somehow, sometimes, we would like to think we get one over on God. Or that He doesn’t know or see. Or perhaps that He doesn’t care. But what we fail to see is that the joke is on us. God sees and knows.
We think that because God doesn’t act in that moment or because there seems to be no consequence that perhaps we have gotten away with it. But what we fail to recognize is that the very consequence we receive is the very worst thing for us. It is a loss of Him…as we back away from Him.
From the earliest of recorded instructions, God had a plan. He had a way of doing things. A pattern to follow. And when that plan wasn’t followed there was grave consequence.
Think about Adam and Eve. The plan was that they could live in the garden. There was only ONE rule. Don’t eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And when we didn’t follow the plan, withdrawal happened. God removed us from His continual presence and provision, casting man out of the garden.
Think about Noah, the only righteous man on the planet. God saw that every intent of man’s heart was evil and so He chose to destroy all the living creatures, except for Noah and His family. The consequence for sin was deep and had effects far more reaching than eating what was forbidden. Man didn’t follow the plan and now death and separation ensued.
When God gave a pattern for the tabernacle, He intended for it to be followed. He was building a place to meet with His people. We didn’t deserve it, some didn’t even want it. Nevertheless, despite the separation and death, God was at work to restore what we had thrown away. And He had a pattern that had to be followed for that.
His desire has been to make a way for us to be WITH Him. But there is a pattern that MUST be followed. We see this in the intricate detail God gave when He instructed Moses on how to build the tabernacle that He would dwell in. He left nothing to chance or to the imagination. He directed every step.
We can learn a lot from this one idea. God DESIRES to be WITH us, but He is not so desperate for our communion that He tolerates a half way, half hearted effort in meeting with Him. You either come to Him all the way, His way or not at all. He sets the pattern. And when we don’t follow it. We back away from the Living God and find distance-not because God moved, but because we did. Backing away from God’s pattern is a bad idea. It was a bad idea in the garden. It was a bad idea for Jonah. It was a bad idea for Israel. And it is a bad idea for us. His pattern is not a bad idea. It is the only one that gets us into His Presence.
ALL FOR YOU
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
