Heartbroken Parent and a Wayward Child…

 

There is much in Chapter 1 of Isaiah, but a few verses really spoke to my heart.

"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!  For the LORD has spoken:  “ I have nourished and brought up children,  And they have rebelled against Me;  The ox knows its owner  And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.”  Alas, sinful nation,  A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters!  They have forsaken the LORD,  They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward."--Isaiah1:2-4

The Lord here sounds like a heartbroken parent.  He had nourished and brought up children and they had rebelled against Him.  God tells His children that the animals had more sense than they did.  He brought the nation of Israel into being and brought them out of Egypt where they were enslaved.  He took care of them in the wilderness and brought them into the land He had promised them.  He grew them, fed them, made them strong and forgave them when they rebelled.  He had shown them His love, grace and mercy and they in response rejected Him. They literally bit the hand that fed them. If you are a parent, you  understand what it means to pour your life, your love and your heart into a child.  What a heartbreak for a mom and a dad when  when the one you have loved, cared for and treasured, rebels and act like they don't even know you.  You become nothing to them.  What an example, however, our God, our Father, is for these parents.  He continually stretches out His hand in mercy and love.  Mercy triumphs over judgment. All God's people needed to be was willing.

“ Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD,  “ Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.--Isaiah 1:18-20

"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.—Luke 15:20-24

Putting Off Me…

 

Let each one of us [make it a practice to] please his neighbor for his good, to build him up spiritually. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written [in Scripture], "THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU (the Father) FELL ON ME (the Son)."—Romans 15:2-3 AMPL

I don’t know about You, but I cannot do the “heart” of what is required in these verses without the Spirit of God’s moment by moment power.  Self-sacrificing love, charitableness, duty to others, sympathy, empathy, self-denial, unselfishness....these do not come naturally to me. I need to depend on my God constantly to put another’s good before mine.  Even when I get it right, sin always lies at my door and its desire is for me.  Only by the Spirit’s power can I rule over it. Even in marriage...even for someone I love as much as I love my husband, it is so difficult. Maybe even more so than for a “neighbor” because how he is and what he does affect ME greatly!  I want peace, I want comfort and very often choosing to walk in another’s shoes and actually feel their pain, grief, fear or longing is hard.  

My heart’s default position is ME. It is hard to put off what I might want for my day...and put on, feel and make my priority what another wants.  It is hard to love others sacrificially because what I want for ME so often gets in my way!  Here is the thing, though.  What I notice as I draw increasingly close to my God and stand in the light of His grace, my sinfulness also comes to light and begins to overwhelm me. That might not seem like such a good thing, but it is, because it drives me to my God.  It helps me to really “see” my own weakness and need and cry out all the more for His grace and power in my life.  

but He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness." Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. 10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God's strength].—2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Oh wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death?  I thank my God through Jesus Christ, my Lord, who delivered and continues to deliver me from the scourge of ME, MYSELF and I.  Truly, I can cast all MY cares upon Him for He cares for ME!  He will perfect that which concerns ME.  He is my Shepherd. As His beloved daughter, He looks out for ME!  I can put off selfish ambition.  In Christ, I have everything I need. I can edify those I love by pointing them to Him...I can trust those I love into His care...I can trust ME into His care because He CARES for ME too!

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us,* to the glory of God.—Romans 15:5-7

The Sin of Complaining…

 

Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched. 3 So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them.

4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!" 7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. 8 The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. 9 And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it. 10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,' to the land which You swore to their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, 'Give us meat, that we may eat.' 14 I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!"  16 So the LORD said to Moses: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.—Numbers 11:1-17

The Sin of Complaining

Today’s reading in Numbers 11 held up a mirror to my own soul.  

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.—Hebrews 4:12

As I read, I took the following mental notes:

—Complaining is displeasing to God.  

—it kindles His anger

—complaining appears to be “infectious” 

—the flesh is never satisfied. 2 Peter 1:3a came to mind

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

—despite having heavenly bread, the people still desired the earthly. 

—memories can be deceiving

—Moses complained about the people’s complaining and in so doing saw his own     wretchedness

—God heard Moses and provided him a way of escape

I am so thankful for the word of God even and especially when it is bitter to my flesh. My Jesus’ desire is to keep me from stumbling and present me faultless before the presence of His glory.  His will for me is from His heart of love...His commandments are not burdensome but are for my good. I WANT to please Him. To this end, I prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to reveal to me why I complained…what was my motivation. The answer came pretty quick.

My complaining, prior to my salvation, was an unconscious plea for help...not to God, but to man. My heart was overwhelmed by all that was before me...and I knew that I was not sufficient for it. I complained because I felt alone and  defeated by the pressures of life in this fallen world.  I am now His child...saved by His grace and standing forever in His favor. I am never…no not ever…alone.  He is with me and is in me.  My sin of complaining may have helped me feel momentary relief from pressure in my old life, but has no place in my new life. Habits are hard to break...

Help me, Father, to be ruthless with my sin... 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.

Oh Father!  Forgive me!  Thank you for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who convicts my heart of sin and unrighteousness.  Help me to remember that I AM NO LONGER ALONE.  You are with me.  You dwell in my heart...You are my all sufficient God who helps me in my weakness.  I will bring my complaints to You. You are my help.  You will hear and answer.  You are my burden bearer...You perform all things for me, make my way perfect and perfect that which concerns me. Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. I can boast in my infirmities because when I am weak, You are strong. 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."—Matthew 11:28-30

Loosed From Your Infirmity…

 

Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.—Luke 13:10-13

This woman’s story hit home this morning.  How often do I walk around staring at the ground…bent over and burdened under the weight of the evil and uncertainty of this life.  Scripture tells us that this woman was unable to raise herself up until the love of God touched her body, heart and life. 

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,—Ephesians 2:4-6

Beloved…it is the same for us.  Without the Spirit of God dwelling in us, we are hopeless and helpless. Without Him we can do nothing…not even raise ourselves up. But here is the thing. God has already quickened my Spirit. In Christ all my sins and failures have been disposed of once and for all. I have surrendered to the Spirit of Him who dwells in me, the consent of my will.  His love is shed abroad in my heart. Metaphorically speaking, I already dwell in the heavenlies with Him. My help is near.  His power and strength is perfected in my weakness. He is my glory and Lifter of my head. I don’t have to walk around bent over and burdened…staring at the ground. I can walk in the newness of of life. Free from life’s burdens because He upholds me by His truth and walks with me. 

Father…Be merciful to me a sinner saved by Your amazing grace!  You are my glory and the One who lifts my head.  When my soul clings to the dust, revive me according to Your word. When it melts from the heaviness of the world around me, strengthen me according to Your word. When my soul faints, may Your word be my hope. Break the chains that bind me to this earth. Remind me that You are near. Incline to me, Father, and bring me up out of the horrible pit. Set my feet upon the rock and establish my steps. Fill me with Your grace and enable me to sing of Your goodness.

Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.

From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me,

A strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.—Psalm 61:1-4

I sought the LORD, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,

And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,

And delivers them.—Psalm 34:4-7

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD;

Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.

For innumerable evils have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;

They are more than the hairs of my head;

Therefore my heart fails me.—Psalm 40:11-12

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God;

For I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.—Psalm 42:11

You Will…

 

In the day when I cried out, You answered me,

And made me bold with strength in my soul.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;

You will stretch out Your hand

Against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right hand will save me.

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;—Psalm 138:1a; 3;7-8

Lord...I will praise You with everything I have...when I cry out you WILL answer...You Will make me bold with strength in my soul.  Oh how I love this Psalm.  How I love Your word to me, Father.

You WILL revive me...

You WILL stretch out Your hand against my enemies wrath...

You right hand WILL save me....

You WILL perfect that which concerns me...

Oh, Father give me this kind of confidence.  Increase my faith.  You are powerful and Your works are wonderful.

‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.—Jeremiah 32:17

My God is big...my God is powerful.  My God does MIGHTY AND AWESOME things....AND HE HAS POWER OVER ALL. You rule and overrule in the kingdom of men. 

The waters WILL NOT overflow me and You my God will be with me. You WILL perform all things for me and make all that concerns me perfect.

Help me to be like Joshua today who magnified the Lord to those around him and in so doing, strengthened and encouraged their faith. 

And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."--Joshua 4:5

Spurgeon on Psalm 38:21-22 from The Treasury of David

 

Do not forsake me, O LORD;

O my God, be not far from me!

Make haste to help me,

O Lord, my salvation!—Psalm 38:21-22

Verse 21. Forsake me not, O Lord. 

Now is the time I need thee most. When sickness, slander, and sin, all beset a saint, he requires the especial aid of heaven, and he shall have it too. He is afraid of nothing while God is with him, and God is with him evermore. 

Be not far from me. 

Withhold not the light of thy near and dear love. Reveal thyself to me. Stand at my side. Let me feel that though friendless besides, I have a most gracious and all sufficient friend in thee. 

Verse 22. Make haste to help me. 

Delay would prove destruction. The poor pleader was far gone and ready to expire, only speedy help would serve his turn. See how sorrow quickens the importunity of prayer! Here is one of the sweet results of affliction, it gives new life to our pleading, and drives us with eagerness to our God. 

O Lord my salvation. 

Not my Saviour only, but my salvation. He who has the Lord on his side has salvation in present possession. Faith foresees the blessed issue of all her pleas, and in this verse begins to ascribe to God the glory of the expected mercy. We shall not be left of the Lord. His grace will succour us most opportunely, and in heaven we shall see that we had not one trial too many, or one pang too severe. A sense of sin shall melt into the joy of salvation; grief shall lead on to gratitude, and gratitude to joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Let Us Be Strong for Our People and the Cities of Our God…

 

Chapter 20 of Deuteronomy begins with Moses reviewing the principles that were to govern the people’s warfare. The first we read about here is that when Israel was on the verge of a battle that was in accordance with the will of God, the priest was exhort the men to take courage and not be afraid. I liked that. 

"When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'—Deuteronomy 20:1-4

In Verses 5-7 the officers were then to encourage those whose hearts might be divided because they had other issues on their mind to leave and return home.  

"Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: 'What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. Also what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it. And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'—Deuteronomy 20:5-7

The first exemptions granted showed compassion for what time of life a soldier might be in. Verses 8-9 speak to another kind of exemption. It was granted to a faint-hearted soldier for reasons of army morale. 

"The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.' And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.—Deuteronomy 20:8-9

This one not only made a lot of sense to me practically but also helped my heart spiritually because it reminded me that fear is contagious and that all my hope and all my confidence should be in my ever present and all powerful God. The strongest army would be the one committed wholeheartedly to the Lord their God. Those who might affect another’s faith and confidence were also to be allowed to leave and return home.  Cowardice here, one commentator said was “reckoned” as a spiritual problem.  These men were to be removed before they could defect in battle or cause those around them to become fearful and disheartened. God wanted only those with willing and faith-filled hearts to fight 

Your people shall be volunteers

In the day of Your power;—Psalm 110:3

"When leaders lead in Israel,

When the people willingly offer themselves,

Bless the LORD!—Judges 5:2

And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.—Nehemiah 11:2

Beloved…May our own hearts take courage. May we put aside fear and walk in faith.  May the words we speak encourage those around us to confidence in God and not fear. 

Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight."—2 Samuel 10:12

For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:

"Do not say, 'A conspiracy,'

Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy,

Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.

The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow;

Let Him be your fear,

And let Him be your dread.—Isaiah 8:12-13

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.—2 Timothy 6:7

On Diminishing the Song of the Terrible Ones…

 

From Chapter 2 of Ruth:

Then Boaz said to Ruth, "You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn."—Ruth 2:8-9

Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, "Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar." So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.—Ruth 2:14

And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her."—Ruth 2:15-16

As I was reading through Chapter 2 of the book of Ruth, the kindness of Ruth’s future husband and kinsman-redeemer, Boaz, brought these verses from Isaiah to mind.  

For You have been a strength to the poor,

A strength to the needy in his distress,

A refuge from the storm,

A shade from the heat;

For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

You will reduce the noise of aliens,

As heat in a dry place;

As heat in the shadow of a cloud,

The song of the terrible ones will be diminished.—Isaiah 25:4-5

My Jesus is my strength, my song and has become my salvation.  He is my refuge…my ever present help in times of trouble. He is a shade for me in the heat of my trials. He silences the noise of my enemies and brings me peace.

I so want to be as He is and live out these verses from Isaiah for the people God has placed in my life. I want to be their soft place to fall in a world of hard places and sharp edges who always points their hearts to Him. 

Boaz does this for Ruth by showing her…a poor, widowed foreigner…the covenant lovingkindness of his God.  In doing so, He becomes a shining light during a very dark time in the history of Israel when everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Boaz obeys God and is kind. He notices Ruth, welcomes her to his fields and calls her daughter. He surrounds her with his protection.  He makes sure she has water to drink and food to eat. He provides for her continued sustenance by telling his workers to drop extra grain for her and not rebuke her. Philippians 2:3-4 says this. I think it describes Boaz well. 

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.—(Philippians 2:3–4) NKJV

The NLT says it this way:

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.(Philippians 2:3–4)NLT

Father…May each of us imitate Boaz. May we be kind and tender-hearted toward  each other.  May we fulfill the law by putting on love…may we bear one another’s        burdens and in so doing fulfill the law of Christ. 

A man will be as a hiding place from the wind,

And a cover from the tempest,

As rivers of water in a dry place,

As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.—Isaiah 32:2