The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Proverbs 15:3,
"The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."
Here is a sobering thought: nothing escapes the Lord's observation! There is nothing he cannot and does not observe. A few verses later we read, "Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord— how much more do human hearts!" Verse 11. Even where it may be difficult for us to observe something, whether due to obfuscation, any attempt to hide or keep secret, the Lord sees it all and he knows it all. Everything we think, do, say and feel is open and observed by the Lord. Everything! Even what is done in the dark, "If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." Psalm 139:11-12.
This is not just a passive activity of observation by the Lord. It is intentional, active and on-going, every second of every day. We read about how the Lord actively searches our hearts in Romans 8:27. We read in Hebrews 4:13, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
The Lord is our judge when this life comes to an end. Here is the issue: we will have to give an account of ourselves, our lives, to the one that gave us life. We will have to give an account for everything we have thought, everything we have done, everything we have said and everything we have harbored in our hearts! What a sobering thought! We read of this judgment in Revelation 20 and 21. "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." How terrifying is that?! Also, "The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Revelation 21:8.
Where does that leave you and me? I don't know about you... but me, faced with this certainty, it is nothing short of horrifying! When speaking of being "saved", this is what is meant: being saved from God's wrath for our sins. It only takes one and I have a lifetime of things that I have thought, said, done and felt that earns me a place in this "fiery lake of burning sulfur."
This is why the the gospel is called the "good news!" There is a way out of this terrifying predicament. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life..." John 14:6. Jesus Christ has made a way, not only to escape God's wrath for our sins, but has even made it possible for us to join God's family, become the objects of his love, inherit eternal life with "eternal pleasures" at his right hand, Psalm 16:11. How wonderful is that?!
Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins on that cross, satisfying God's judgment of us for those sins! All he asks of us is to trust in him, to embrace him in faith! How could anyone turn that down?
I have taken God's wonderful offer of forgiveness and eternal life. I have placed my trust and faith in him. Not doing so would have insured my certain place in that lake of fire. I am a sinner.
How about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment