Holiness

I've been reading...and wrestling...with...goodness and holiness. These thoughts were primed in the introduction chapter to "Holiness" by J.C. Ryle. How often have I heard, "She is a good person," or do I think. "I'm not so bad?" I always struggle with this when someone dies who was a good person...they helped destitute people, gave sacrifically, loved unbelievably, etc. I know from scripture that only those redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb will enter into eternal life in glory, but when I see people "so good", I, humanly, struggle with that person missing out when they gave so much.
I believe, now, it is because I not only focus on goodness, but that goodness is one that is rated so on human terms. God's expectation of goodness is on a much different level and is it not an outgrowth of holiness? As we pursue holiness, then will we not also truly be good as God see's good? I believe that God's chief concern is holiness. "Without holiness no one will see the Lord."(Heb. 12:14) "Be holy, because I am holy."(Lev. 20:7, 1Pet. 1:16) "God saved us and called us to a holy life."(2Tim. 1:9)
The greatest application here is to the depth of my own heart. When I approach God's merciful throne and I have a proud heart that thinks that I've really been doing pretty well...how do I measure up against God's standard: HOLINESS! Now I see how wretched my heart is, how far I fall short. Oh for a humble and contrite heart. Oh to be holy as He is holy. May I never be tripped up by goodness when holiness is the standard.

At God's Mercy

As in typical fashion, just as things are going well for King David and Israel, Satan in his conniving "rises up against Israel and incited David to sin." (I Chronicles 21) It's one of those sins that in and of itself really seems harmless. In fact it seems like it could be kind of helpful. David counts the people of Israel. The problem? It promotes confidence in human resources rather than confidence in God alone. Keep in mind that David is a commanding warrior and numbers are a crucial bit of information. So, the people were counted and then David realized his grave sin. David has a tendency to act rashly, but David has a tender heart toward God and he is quick to repent and seek restoration when he comes to his senses. This time, God gave David three options to choose from as consequences: three years of famine, three months of being swept away by the enemy in battle or three days of the sword of the Lord. How does one choose? David, the one whose heart was after God, whose heart rested in God's character that he had experienced time and again, exclaims, "Let me fall in to the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is very great..." David proclaims God's mercy over and over in the Psalms. David knew God's mercy.
True to God's character, as the angel was destroying Jerusalem by plague, "the Lord saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, 'Enough! Withdraw your hand.'"
"God in his rich mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our transgressions." Ephesians 2:4
"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever..."

Temptations Rethought

Oswald Chambers was a man of deep thought. He has an amazing way of looking at our daily spiritual walk through another facet of the prism that causes you to ponder its application to your soul. Such is the case as he discusses temptation. "Temptation is a suggested short cut to the realization of the highest at which I aim - not towards what I understand as evil, but towards what I understand as good." Naturally we don't think in those terms as we are struggling with temptation, yet are we not shortchanging ourselves as we are thinking that our way to meet a felt need that we deem as good is itself good and therefore satisfying. In reality we find that we are short changed and we are not satisfied, nor was it good. The felt need still exists and we are again searching for a way to satify that need. Oh that we would let "God lift us to a higher plane where we would face tempations of another order."

Careful Zeal

King Jehu came in like wildfire. He himself says, "Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord." (2 Kings 10:16) Even the annointing of Jehu as king gives you an idea that things are going to happen. Elisha sends one of the men form his company of prophets with the instructions to "take him (Jehu) in an inner room, pour a flask of oil over his head, say 'This is what the Lord says: I annoint you king over Israel,' and then open the door and run without delay." The Ahab and his son who preceeded Jehu were persistently wicked. From the moment Jehu left the inner room of annointing, he begins his sweep through Israel. He doesn't leave a descendent of Ahab alive. Next, he rounds up and destroys all the ministers of Baal under the pretense of calling an assembly to honor Baal. He is shrewd. Yet, by verse 31 the statement is made, "Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel with all his heart." He let some of the of the idol worship persist. Oh that in our zeal we don't overlook the careful to keep...with all our heart.

Only God...

"No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-
the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-
that he should live on forever and not see decay...
But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself."

Psalm 49:7-9,15

Such truth to ponder. "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...My God my Savior ransomed me." Praise, awe, humbled..."I'm forever grateful to You, who came to seek and save the lost."

ALL of God's Goodness: Who can imagine

Moses said, " Now show me your glory." And the Lord said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you..." (Ex 33: 18,19)
Wow! What must that have been like? God's glory displayed by all His goodness. We continually see and experience God's goodness, yet I think that we only recognize it in snatches. We attribute this blessings and that provision we receive to God's goodness. We proclaim the delight of experiencing God's creation in a fresh snow or brilliant sunset as His goodness to us. I think that I tend to look at God's goodness as a dividend here and a dividend there, yet he is always good, all the time. It is His character. "You are forgiving and good, O Lord." (Ps 86:5) When I fail to recognize God's goodness at all times, then I am failing to recognize the extent of His glory. For it was the manifestation of all His goodness that was God's means of showing His glory to Moses. Oh, that I might not be short sighted. Oh, that I might recognize all of God's goodness, all of the time, so that I might behold His glory!

Raised Hands

Three times (Ex. 23, 24 & Deut. 16) God makes this amazing exclamation. "No one is to appear before me empty-handed."
How do I come before my Lord, my God? Too often it is with wanting hands. Yes, those are empty. Oh that I may first come with hands filled with praise, adoration, exclamation, admiration, and proclamation to my God for who He is, what He has done, and what He is to do. Then as He receives my "sacrifice of praise" (Heb. 13:15) I will have hands ready to be filled with His goodness.