The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 58:2,
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!
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"For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them."
The Lord brings an indictment against his people. They seem to seek God but their lives do not demonstrate it. They have sought the Lord through fasting, etc. but their lives manifested an inconsistency in their hearts. As this passage goes on to say, if the Lord's people would seek him with their hearts as demonstrated in their actions they would find joy in him and enjoy an inheritance from him.
As I think about this issue for us, folks in the church, and especially in my own life, I find what the Lord has done is remarkable. In Jeremiah 31:33 we read: "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Our hearts, like the Jews in exile, are desperately wicked – subject to a sin nature we all have inherited from Adam. Jesus Christ said from within a man, out of his heart, comes all kinds of evil and wickedness. And so God determined he would pour his Holy Spirit into our hearts when we embrace Jesus Christ through faith. That old sin nature is still there, but now there is a new nature and as Paul tells us in Romans 8, we are controlled no longer by the sin nature but by the Holy Spirit.
At times we struggle with sin (I know I do) but the wonder of God is that if we draw near to God he will draw near to us. We are told to set our hearts and minds not on rules and laws against sin, but on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1-2). Also, Hebrews 12:2-3, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." I know those I have encountered in my own life who set their hearts and minds on Jesus Christ and I have seen how they exude the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, kindness, gentleness, etc.
How wonderful our God would see fit to dwell within us through his Holy Spirit! How wonderful he will draw near to us if we draw near to him (James 4:8)! How wonderful we discover the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we draw near to him!
How sad we do not draw near to the Lord at times, we don't set our hearts and minds on Jesus Christ at times, as his word gathers dust on our coffee tables and he waits to hear from us.
Let's follow the writer of Hebrews admonition, Hebrews 10:19-25, "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
The Lord brings an indictment against his people. They seem to seek God but their lives do not demonstrate it. They have sought the Lord through fasting, etc. but their lives manifested an inconsistency in their hearts. As this passage goes on to say, if the Lord's people would seek him with their hearts as demonstrated in their actions they would find joy in him and enjoy an inheritance from him.
As I think about this issue for us, folks in the church, and especially in my own life, I find what the Lord has done is remarkable. In Jeremiah 31:33 we read: "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Our hearts, like the Jews in exile, are desperately wicked – subject to a sin nature we all have inherited from Adam. Jesus Christ said from within a man, out of his heart, comes all kinds of evil and wickedness. And so God determined he would pour his Holy Spirit into our hearts when we embrace Jesus Christ through faith. That old sin nature is still there, but now there is a new nature and as Paul tells us in Romans 8, we are controlled no longer by the sin nature but by the Holy Spirit.
At times we struggle with sin (I know I do) but the wonder of God is that if we draw near to God he will draw near to us. We are told to set our hearts and minds not on rules and laws against sin, but on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1-2). Also, Hebrews 12:2-3, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." I know those I have encountered in my own life who set their hearts and minds on Jesus Christ and I have seen how they exude the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, kindness, gentleness, etc.
How wonderful our God would see fit to dwell within us through his Holy Spirit! How wonderful he will draw near to us if we draw near to him (James 4:8)! How wonderful we discover the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we draw near to him!
How sad we do not draw near to the Lord at times, we don't set our hearts and minds on Jesus Christ at times, as his word gathers dust on our coffee tables and he waits to hear from us.
Let's follow the writer of Hebrews admonition, Hebrews 10:19-25, "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
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 reply and let me know.
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