Love the LORD

One aspect I love about God is He is good and does not change.  It does not matter what country we reside in or what politicians or government hold power, whether we see legislation changing for good or ill, for He rules as LORD over all.  The irony is God's people at times are as likely to forget or revolt against Him as unbelievers who continue in unbelief.  This was true in the days of Isaiah in Israel, and the same tendency to look to something other than God for help stubbornly persists in our times.

A pitfall that has stumbled many is a focus on what God could or should do for us rather than seeking His face and waiting on Him.  It is possible we can idolise our relationship with God received by grace rather than rejoicing in and celebrating God Himself.  We can look to eternity in heaven with glorified bodies for comfort that is found in the presence of God alone today; we can cling to promises rather than resting and trusting in He Who has promised.  This subtle idolatry can worm its way into our thinking as we continue our pilgrimage in the flesh, caring more for what we can potentially receive from God than the Giver Himself.

After pronouncing woe on people of God who looked to Egypt and horsemen for help rather than God, the prophet said in Isaiah 31:6-7:  "Return to Him against whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. ⁷ For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold--sin, which your own hands have made for yourselves."  This call to return to God is fitting for today, for Jesus called out to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2 and revealed they had left their first love.  His call was to repent and do the first works again.  What are the first works He referred to?  It is faith which works by love.  In Ephesians 1:15 Paul commended them for their faith in the LORD Jesus and their love unto all the saints.  Like that church fellowship, over time we too can find our love has grown cold.

Love the LORD, you His saints!  Praise Him for His goodness in all seasons of life!  He is our help and shield, our comfort, One who saves and delivers.  He remains and sits enthroned over all things and everyone, and may we return to enthrone Him in our hearts with faith and love.  In a world of confusion, anger, hopelessness and conflict God is not troubled, for He has all things in hand.  May we truly love God for all He is, the just Judge and KING OF KINGS who never faints or is weary.  Let us return and look to the LORD who loved us first and will continue to uphold us in His love forever.

Where God Looks to Dwell

When king Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, he knew it was inadequate to house the almighty God who is eternal and dwells on high in unapproachable glory.  Through the Law of Moses God made a way for men to be sanctified as priests and for acceptable worship, offerings and sacrifice.  God's desire was to dwell among His people, yet their sinful condition made fellowship and communion impossible.  God in His mercy provided atonement and cleansing of sin as His people looked to Him in faith and obedience.

God said through the prophet in Isaiah 66:1-2, "Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? ² For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."  The invisible, glorious God shares no likeness with engraved images, nor is He confined within houses of worship.  All of heaven is His throne, far beyond what our eyes can see.  There is nothing made by man that God requires or can benefit Him at all.  Even the most glorious edifices constructed and adorned by men cannot be compared to His inspiring greatness.

God was not looking for man to build Him a house to dwell in, but God was looking to indwell those who fear and trust Him.  Paul revealed the spiritual reality of God's choice to reside within every Christian in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:  "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?"  Every born again follower of Jesus Christ can know with confidence our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, that our bodies are indeed the dwelling place and house of God.  He is not attracted to dwell in ornate structures but these perishing bodies that are like tents that grow old and wear out.  Like Abraham dwelt in tents as he walked through the land God would give as an inheritance to him and his descendants, so God dwells in us as His inheritance during our earthly pilgrimage.

Hebrews 11:8-10 says, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."  By faith Abraham dwelt in the land of promise and lived in tents because he was waiting for a permanent home made by God.  In an amazing parallel, God has chosen to dwell inside believers He has purchased by the blood of Jesus, claimed as His own inheritance, and will one day usher us into His presence where He sits enthroned for eternity.  By His grace, we are God's gift for Himself.  He is not drawn to us by our physical beauty, earthly wealth or abilities, but by a humble heart and contrite spirit that trembles at His word.

We can build elaborate temples and structures, but it does not follow God resides in them.  He looks at people as a builder does a heritage house that is dilapidated and condemned with an aim to restore and improve it--not to flip on the market for a profit--but to make a dream home to live in himself.  God looks for hurting, beat down, broken hearts willing to humble themselves before Him in faith and to make Him room where He is pleased to dwell, for people who gladly hand over the title deed of their lives and say to their Saviour, "LORD Jesus, come on in."  We receive Jesus by faith as we are, knowing we will never be the same.

Despising the Shame

"I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting."

Isaiah 50:6

Everyone has experienced feelings of shame when we felt exposed or humiliated for our failure or due to the mockery of others.  It is natural when feeling shame to try to hide from it and work to cover our faults.  Some feel ashamed of what they have said or done; others are ashamed of aspects of their appearance.  A person can feel shame about what they are personally responsible for or shame on behalf of seeing others mistreated.

For reasons known by the LORD during the past day or two I have been reminded of past events of my life when I said and did things I look upon with great shame.  There are things embarrassing to speak about, and there are things shameful to think about even though the events occurred years ago.  Most of the things I find deeply regrettable I seemed to be carefree about and justified easily at the time, but later my heart smote me as David after cutting Saul's garment.  For a long time we can shrug off shame, yet it proves more persistent than the most steely resolve.  Like Hannah's adversary, shame provokes us sore until we are made to despair in our wretched past we are powerless to change.

How grateful we should be that Jesus did not hide His face from shame and spitting.  He endured the most shameful humiliation for the sins of mankind which are shameful beyond description.  The scriptures teach us Jesus took our sins upon Him on Calvary, and He did not hide from the shame associated with them.  Praise be to God!  Though it may seem justifiable to our flesh to live in shame because of our sins, what Jesus accomplished on the cross gives us eternal hope no power of sin or Satan can frustrate.  Jesus took our sin and shame so we could rejoice in His forgiveness, redemption and salvation.  The shameful things I have done and said will forever be etched in history, yet by His grace through the Gospel I am not doomed to repeat them but can learn from them.

My friend, do you allow shame for your past or present failures dictate your feelings rather than knowing what Jesus has done for you on the cross?  Even now He stands ready to save, forgive and intercede on our behalf as it is written in Hebrews 4:16:  "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  The blood of our LORD Jesus covers our sin and shame in the past and for the future according to the riches of His grace.  Jesus did not hide from shame and humiliation for our sake, and thus we should not justify living in shame.  For the joy before Him Jesus endured the cross and despised (or thought little of) the shame and is seated at the right hand of the Father, His work accomplished.  Let us glory in Jesus Christ rather than hiding in shame.

The Author of Peace

Today a new insight came to mind:  without Babel there would not have been Pentecost as we know it.  When everyone spoke the same language, there was no need for translation or interpretation.  After the LORD came down and confounded the builders in Shinar they scattered according to their families, languages and nations.  It was a common language that united people after the flood rather than borders controlled by rulers or government.  Babel was the antithesis of peace, for people proudly stood in opposition to God.  According to His grace and mercy God intervened so people could have peace with God by faith in the Saviour He would send.

After Jesus ascended to the Father in the sight of hundreds of people after He rose from the dead, followers of Jesus gathered in one accord to pray on the Day of Pentecost.  Suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon the 120 people who assembled and praised the LORD in a variety of languages.  This grabbed the attention of the amazed devout Jews who had assembled in Jerusalem to observe the feast.  Acts 2:6-11:  "And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. ⁷ Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."

In light of Babel, this is an amazing contrast.  God confused the languages from one to many so the people could not understand each other, but when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers their fellow Jews were confused how Galilean Jews spoke their own languages fluently with praises to God!  The builders in Shinar were confused and departed, and the Jews in Jerusalem were confused and gathered together for an explanation.  Through the teaching of Peter who was filled with the Holy Spirit 3,000 believers were added to the kingdom of God, born again by faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul later revealed guidance concerning the appropriate use of tongues and prophecy in an assembly, and urged them to do all to edify one another.  1 Corinthians 14:27-33 says, "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. ³⁰ But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints."  Though God confused the builders at Babel, He is not the author of confusion:  there was a perfectly clear and rational reason He does all that He does in mercy, grace and love.  He knows all languages having birthed them at Babel, and He knew all the people who were in Jerusalem to hear of the wonderful works of God in their own language.  He who gifts with tongues also can enable them to be interpreted for the benefit of all so those in the church will be edified.

Isn't God amazing how He works His wonders in wisdom?  Praise the LORD He has given us tongues we can use to praise and glorify Him, putting our thoughts into words for His honour and exaltation.  Envy and strife lead to confusion, and God is not the author of these.  One of God's wonderful works is clearing up our confusion and bringing clarity and understanding by faith in Him.  Jesus is the author of peace in all the churches and may we be filled with His Spirit to speak forth His praise.