Pathetic or Promising?
Good Morning Friends,
When I look back over my life, so far, it is only in those times and small ways that I responded to God’s will that made the difference. When I learned to respond out of sympathetic sadness, choosing to move in compassion not contemptuous pity, then I was aroused into life. Indeed we have the capacity to move either way…toward or away from God. But with a right perspective we can see that even though we are inferior and miserably inadequate, we can be changed. We can respond to what brings tears to God’s eyes if we share in the hope of ultimate joy. So what will it be Pathetic or Promising?
Scripture: You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Psalm 51:6-12 (NRSV)
19Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out,
Acts 3:19 (NRSV)
9*O that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people!
Jeremiah 9:1 (NRSV)
16Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16 (NRSV)
Message: God takes us from pathetic to promising and I would like to think it is not the transition from guilt to greed. No, the motivation is a third alternative…one of reclaiming joy outside linear thinking. Here is true wisdom. Yes we are comforted that God forgave someone like David, the author of today’s Psalm, and that He is capable of forgiving me and you as well. Yes here we discover that when we, read of a Jeremiah… when follow Jesus we follow the life of the party. Here we find joy that is unavailable to us in power, position, or possessions. Here we learn to relate to God through relationships. Like David we can confess our sins and repent. Indeed, David had his sin with Bathsheba that needed to be wiped clean before David could sing again praises to God. Sin always separates us from God and what He would have us do. In a way, through the Spirit, today’s scripture speaks to the ultimate solution of this problem… the coming of the Kingdom, the coming of revival, the birth, life, death, resurrection and return of Jesus… the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives united. And yes we experience grace and on occasion He touches our hearts with the Glory of God and His purifying Spirit, but someday God will make all things new. Friends, Jesus came to create us, refreshing us with a life giving breath, He came to give us the Holy Spirit. But do not think it comes without a price to be paid. Explore what adjustments God is asking you to make. Face the hardships and opposition that will come when you align your life with God’s will. Have the deep satisfaction of knowing you are a faithful and beloved servant of God. Your reward will be joyous when you choose to fully obey Christ, regardless of the cost.
Pray we recognize the Holy Spirit working in us. Pray we are dissatisfied with who we are. Pray we have the courage to change and cooperate in what the Spirit is doing. Pray we recognize that joy increases the closer we get to God. Pray we reject instant happiness. Pray we bring a smile to another’s face today. Pray the Holy Spirit gives us capacity individually but more importantly collectively. Pray we realize the cost of discipleship is surrender. Pray we realize we must be totally dependent on God. Pray we wait patiently on the Lord to save us. Pray we realize that only He can protect us.
Pray that God would create a clean heart in each of us, that we would make the difficult choices necessary to admit our sin, ask for mercy and appreciate the outcome in a way that prompts us to forgive others, to feed others with the knowledge of Jesus’ love in the grace of repentance, mercy, forgiveness, hope and love. Pray we celebrate the prospects of God in our lives and the spiritual possibilities of a community of love. Pray that we know that God is always waiting to love us and that His love creates a new heart in us. Pray that whatever we do today we do it all for the glory of God. Pray that we realize that our gifts are really kind of pathetic unless wrapped up in love. Pray that our tears of pain become tears of joy. Pray our callings are anointed by God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 