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Monday, February 28, 2005
It's been almost a month since I last was able to jump in here. Sorry for the extended amount of time but I will seek to do better. Yeah I always say that. I won't pick a specific verse this time, just talk a bit about Lamentations and Ezekiel. These aren't the two most quoted books of the old Testament but in reading through them there seem to be some very powerful images that are invoked. Lamentations is a short book but the idea that sprung off the page for me was when the writer spoke about the people, who were being punished for no longer following God, were going through great anguish. But one of the interesting things is that God reminded the people to call upon HIM. He asks them why they don't seek the one who had done such great things in the past. He mentions why don't they seek the one who had saved them from Egypt. Why don't they call upon the One who had done great things for them? One of the key things is remembering what God has done in the past. We don't live in the past but we should continually be reminded of the things God has done in the past. It builds upon our faith. It can reassure us. And it can give us hope when we have not hope. Call upon the one who has done so much. Seek the one who saved you from your sin, lifted your depression, healed your body, provided your income, created miracles when there were none, and so forth. The group PFR had a song called "Wait for the Son". One of the key lines in the song was..."He's won greater battles before, what makes you think He won't fight now?" Of course there are elements to God's timing. Things don't happen to our time table...Oh how well I know that. Abraham waited 10 years after the promise to have a son. After he was told he would have a son, it was 10 years longer. And he was already 90 at the time. How long did he wonder and search before the promise? And then he waited 10 more years. Me, I can't get help but get distressed because I am 37 and waiting for a family. Probably haven't really been looking but about 10 years. Still when I get into my little pity party, I forget about the God who has done so much. I forget the battles He has fought and won. I forget about the many blessings and times He saved my soul and very life. The healing, the corrections, the joys, the hurts, the words spoken and the very paths He illuminated: all are tossed to the side when I focus on what I want or don't have. Then I read in the Ezekiel and see how the people treated their God. He looked upon them in great hurt and anger because they were his very own and they sold themselves out for others. He continually compared them to spouses that were unfaithful. Their idolatry is the same as adultery. And both have hurt the very being of GOD. Not hurt in a sense of a mortal wounding but rather in the sense of taking for granted and considering as useless the very Creator of their souls. So much so that the LORD says He is tired of their dealings and will no longer put up with it. Yet even then He speaks about forgiving the many deeds of those who turn away from them and simply repent. He promises to forget the very hurt and evil they have offered to HIM. All for the sake of the Love that HE offers. |
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