They Go Together

Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6,7

I love the “sandwich” imperatives in this passage. Forsaking our ways and thoughts is sandwiched between seek the Lord and return to the Lord. It is a packaged deal. Seeking the Lord and returning to the Lord entails abandoning my ways and thoughts that are contrary to Him. In other words, I cannot hold on to my own ways and thoughts when I am attempting to return to the Lord.

Returning implies doing an about face in my life. Picture a person leaving his home . If he stays on the road he is following he gets further and further away from his home. But if he were to simply turn around he would begin making his way back.

I find it interesting that ways and thoughts are both mentioned. Since my actions stem from my thoughts both need to be forsaken. What is neat though is that if I take care of one the other will automatically be affected. That is why Romans 13:2 reminds me that a transformation or change is brought about by the renewing of my mind. A change in the way I am living my life and the direction I am going requires a change in my way of thinking. Imagine starting each day with a prayer for God to renew, restore, refresh, renovate, and rejuvenate our mind. Talk about a make-over!

The result of all this is that God will have compassion and will pardon (forgive) us. Once again I picture the father who welcomes back the prodigal son. I must constantly be aware of how much God longs for me to come back to Him and the gracious, loving reception that awaits me when I do.

Father, there is such hope that forsaking my ways and thoughts to return to You is a rich and worthwhile experience. Thank You that You never grow tired of seeing me come back to You. Amen.

My Main Counselor

Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live. Isaiah 55:3

For decades I missed out on the experience of hearing God speak to me directly on a regular basis. At times when I should have been leaning over and listening to what God wanted to tell me I was constantly running to people. I was looking to certain individuals to give me wisdom, direction, and guidance for numerous situations and decisions. While it may have seemed easier to go to them, in the long run I was paying a high price in my walk with God.

Aside from always feeling needy, indecisive, and crippled, I was keeping myself from developing a close, intimate relationship with God. While the Bible certainly talks about the wisdom that can be found in many counselors, there is a danger when God is not my ultimate Counselor. When I am spending more time listening to other people’s voices rather than God’s voice I am missing out on so much.

I think of it this way. How well would I develop a friendship with someone if I had very little communication with them? If I chose someone who knew her well and I communicated with that person instead of the actual one I wanted to have a friendship with, there would not be a relationship at all. This person might be able to tell me things they know and experiences they have but none of that would help me to build my own relationship. How different though if I would pick up the phone or meet with the person directly.

It is the same way with God. If I want to really know how to live the Christian life and know His voice I must learn to go to Him and listen! I have been amazed in just the past couple of weeks at how much He will say to me because I am finally taking the questions to Him. Do I miss the human counselors? Sometimes. Will I ever again seek a person’s advice? Perhaps. But the experience of learning to seek His face, stand in His presence, and hear His voice is so much better!

Father, the day I learned to go directly to You was the beginning of a new way of life for me. May it always be Your voice I seek to hear and listen to. Amen.

Dealing With Shame

But you will forget the shame of your youth. Isaiah 54:4

I have a list of past sins, guilt, and shame that rears its ugly heard from time to time. The enemy of my soul loves nothing more than to remind me of past failures, deliberate sinful choices, and shameful acts. Sometimes the people in our lives do the same with looks and comments that let us know they haven’t forgotten what we did.

Freedom from shame and the ability to forget can only be accomplished when we see that it is not God who is condemning us. When we realize the truth of Isaiah 53 we begin to see it has ALL been paid for. Then Isaiah 54 replaces the image of a harsh, condemning God with a God of compassion and loving kindness. It is only as I see these truths side by side can I begin to discard the shame and walk in beauty.

It is occurring to me that from childhood I have struggled in the area of dealing with sin in the right way. Fear of disapproval, punishment, and anger was all it took for me to hide the truth about myself and my actions. At a young age I learned to dress myself in shame and the garments stayed on me well into adulthood.

What is the message shame gives me? It tells me because of my actions I am worthless, no good, ruined, disgusting, unlovable, and devalued. I then take that message and determine I will do everything I can to make sure no one finds out. It becomes a life of hiding and secrets.

It wasn’t until recently that I learned there is freedom when I come before God in honesty. As I admit what He already knows and longs to forgive, the prison door of shame swings open and I am free. While God does judge sin, He loves me with compassion, mercy, and grace. It is His heart’s desire to forgive, redeem, restore, and reconcile me with Himself. He is not wanting me to live my life in shame. Rather than walk with downcast eyes, slumping shoulders, and internal condemnation, He desires me to accept His forgiveness and live unashamed.

Confession is necessary but it is not the whole story. It is simply the first step in replacing shame with a song of freedom and deliverance.

Father, so often I forget Your heart. Sorrow over sin should drive me to You. Shame will cause me to hide. May I stop hiding. Amen.

Very Different Treatment

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53:3a

One of the most profound truths I have learned in the past couple of years is God’s delight of me. I drank in the truths that He valued, loved, and favored me. To think that to my heavenly Father I was special was profound. To this day I find it amazing and almost beyond comprehension.

Yet, when Jesus came to this world His reception was the exact opposite. He was regarded with disfavor and scorn. Instead of being embraced, people turned entirely away from Him. He knew personally and first hand the full depth of sorrow and grief. Not just sorrow over how He was treated but sorrow over what His creation had become. Ever since the Garden of Eden He has lost the hearts of the very ones He brought into existence.

I think of receptions and there is a world of difference between knowing I am going to be among friends who care about me, strangers who don’t know me, or enemies who dislike me. The knowledge of each group would affect the way I felt about meeting with them. I would look forward to seeing the friends. I would be shy but hopeful seeing the strangers. I would utterly dread approaching the enemies.

So I marvel that Christ came into this world fully aware of the reception and treatment He would get. Yet His willingness to come opened up so much for each of us. He faced rejection so we could be accepted. He faced loneliness so we could live each day in His presence. He was condemned so we could be forgiven. Everything we have in Christ He received the complete opposite of. And when I receive the ill treatment of this world, I can know that He knows just how I feel.

Father, help me to fully appreciate what it was like for Your Son to live here. Amen.

Courtroom Surprises

Even your God who contends for His people. Isaiah 51:22 (New American Standard Bible)

I cross referenced this verse and came across many legal terms. I picture a courtroom scene as I read words such as defend, vindicate, plead their case, executes judgment, has a case against, and maintains. When all seems lost and is stacked against us, it is Jesus who comes to our defense.

He fights against accusations, injustices, wrong perceptions, and judgments. The very One who could bring the most evidence against me is ready and willing to stand up for me. As Romans says, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” The very One who could condemn me justifies me. Over my life He has forever hung the banner “there is now therefore no condemnation.”
When a woman was caught in adultery and people were gathered together to stone her, they dropped their stones along with their agenda and left because Jesus made a point. He said the one who had never sinned could cast the first stone. The only One who was qualified to hurl that first stone was Jesus and He didn’t do it! Not only did He not hurl a stone at her, He didn’t hurl insults, disgust, or anger. He didn’t even condemn her. His condemnation was against her actions as He said, “Go and sin no more.”

This same Jesus stands in the courtroom of our lives and comes to our defense. He contends for us on a daily basis. He comes against the false accusations as well as the true ones. While our actions may not be justified, we are! He took our verdicts on Himself at Calvary.

It is my understanding that you cannot be tried for the same crime twice. Double jeopardy! So even when the accusations are true Jesus stands ready to remind our accusers He has already taken that charge on Himself. He took the sin, the guilt, the sentence, and the condemnation.
This does not eliminate the sowing and reaping principle. It simply means grace and forgiveness abound even in the midst of sowing and reaping.

Oh, if we could just grasp the ramifications of His courtroom statements. We too would drop our stones and embrace the ones He has embraced. Such actions would show the true meanings of His words.

Father, I understand so little of Your defense for me. When I want to hide in shame, You turn my face toward Yours to hear you say “neither do I condemn you.” Thank you. Amen.

Chosen With Joy

For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 7:6

Each of us may well remember the selection of teams for a recess game. Selected among the first and you reveled in the glory! Selected last and it felt far from being chosen. It wasn’t that they wanted you as much as they HAD to pick you. At the start of the process the names were called with speed, excitement, and anticipation. As the choices progressed the calling out of names was slower with expressions of dread and a “have to” mentality. How sad that what should have been a simple playground game became a harsh lesson of acceptance and rejection. I cannot think of anyone who does not desire to be chosen, wanted, accepted, and valued.

Why do I choose, want, accept, and value the people in my life? It think of friends I want and it is usually initially based on how they make me feel when I am in their presence. It is out of a need that I have and that they can fulfill. Oh, the joy when the feelings are mutual and the heartache when they are not.

This morning, I am seeing God’s selections in Scripture. As His child, I can claim any verse that says He has chosen me. I am His object of choice and divine favor. I am selected for favor and special privilege. He sees me as a special treasure. A person of worth and value. One who is esteemed as rare and precious. There is joy in His voice as He calls me by name and says “you are Mine!”

Think of the people you highly treasure. They are on your mind and in your hearts often. You enjoy spending time with them. To think, the God of the universe feels that way about each of us. His thoughts toward us are beyond counting. They are too many! He delights when we just want to spend time with Him.

To be joyfully chosen, fully accepted, fully loved, fully valued, highly treasured, and wanted by the Creator is filling me with much emotion. I marvel at it and I accept it with joy! It is in His choosing of me that I am ready, willing, and able to choose Him.

Father, I will never fully understand Your choice of me but I take great pleasure in it. I choose You as well! Amen.

Head or Heart

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Psalm 119:11

The church I attended as a teenager had two doors at the front of the auditorium ~ one at each side of the pulpit area. Above each door a Bible verse was displayed. Titus 3:5,6 was one and Psalm 119:11 was the other. Because I read them each week they became forever imbedded in my memory. I remember adults saying that memorizing God’s Word is the same as “hiding” it and will keep you from sinning. I found myself saying the same thing years later to students. “Memorizing God’s Word,” I’d say, “Is the way to avoid sin.” Funny how we all seemed to miss that little word “heart.”

You see, Psalm 119:11 does not say to hide God’s Word in our head. It says to hide it in our heart. There IS a difference!

I can store knowledge in my head but that won’t necessarily affect my actions. Knowing and doing are two very different things. Ask anyone who has gotten a speeding ticket if they know the rules of the road. Yet their knowledge did not deter them from speeding. Ask any students if they know the classroom rules, and they’ll recite them with ease. Yet the assigned sentences will reveal their knowledge did not hinder them from disobedience.

My point is we can know a lot about God’s Word. We can know the things God says to do and not to do. But until that knowledge gets into our heart we will not be affected by it. Our actions, words, and attitudes stem from our hearts. They reveal what is in our heart. God is so passionate about His law being in our heart that He says He will write it there. (Jeremiah 31:33)

An easy way to tell whether God’s Word has been hidden or treasured in my heart is to look for change in my thinking, words, actions, and attitudes. If I know a lot more than I show, this indicates my heart has yet to take it in. One word of caution though. The Pharisees were experts at knowing the law and living by the letter of the law but it completely bi passed their hearts. Of course when they did this they lacked in joy and love but abounded in criticism, judgment, and harshness.

So we must take it to heart ~ take it ALL to heart!

Father, I don’t want your words to stay in my head. I want them to make themselves at home in my heart and bring true change in my life. Amen.