Skip to main content

Rend Your Heart

             Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:13)

 

            This passage brings to mind the whole of the Law, which was given to the people of Israel. It said, “If you obey, this is what will happen. If you disobey, that is what will happen.”  The Israelites told Moses that they were afraid to hear from God anymore and that he should speak with God and then tell them. And God gave them their request. Those two facts may not seem to go together, but both may be seen as God giving the Israelites control of their relationship with Him. Obedience brought blessing. Disobedience brought curses. Simple.

            But God didn’t generally bring the curse immediately. And often, He seemed to go through the parent’s routine of “I’m going to count to three, and then you’re going to get a spanking! One…Two…I’m warning you…Three. Three-and-a-half… (pulls the child close)…Last chance…” When the child agrees to do as told, the parent either doesn’t spank the child or spanks the child with less force than originally intended.

          The problem is that too often when we (as children) agree to do what we’re told, it’s not because we love our Father or regret what we are doing. It’s because it will get us what we want. We play the part of being contrite, effectively tearing our clothing in our grief, but our hearts don’t change. We may even intend our hearts to change, but the process is too long and hard. We end up back as we were – because our hearts haven’t changed.

          Some see judgment coming. Now is the time for each of us to prayerfully examine our hearts and begin the process of rending them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more