“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." Exodus 20:4-6 (NKJ) (Bold emphasis mine)
In my own case our God has shown me a full measure of grace to cover a wealth of shortcomings and regrets over a number of hard years. The things that I could have done better, the other choices that I could have made, and the failures of my life loom large and could endlessly haunt me if I dwell on them. So the snare laid for my feet, the one that would drag me to despair and despondency if I let it take me down as a trophy for my enemy, is laid well hidden, but ever ready. It's a snare laid against the truth - a truth that it would cloud to hide if it could ... but it can't.
"Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:18-21 (NKJ)
In unguarded moments doubt seeks to creep in and satan taunts - seeking to exercise his masterful art of deception if allowed, as one remembers the guilt that they inherited and that which they earned. In those moments it's as though we may provide an opening for the enemy to test the strength of our faith by our unguarded thoughts. I personally think that it profits us in terms of growing the flow and wealth of our gratitude toward our Deliverer and the Redeemer who sent Him, to remember the list that He willingly removed of our crimes against Himself. But if taken too far and we lose sight of the truth of our status now in Christ, we can expose ourselves carelessly to harm.
This morning, as I have been on a recurring basis lately, I was seeking to understand a mystery whose resolution periodically tests me - Lord, I know me and You know me better than I know myself. So how is it that you can love me so much? Knowing how miniscule I am as I stand in Your presence, the weight of all that I've done and what that cost You, how could You care for me so? As I pondered these things this morning four words came intriguingly to mind - "Do you not know?". The words stuck in my mind and as I often do when this happens, I began to search out the words in scripture. As the chain of references to those words and all of those surrounding those references began refreshing my heart and mind as I read passage after passage, I still wasn't satisfied that I had found what the Lord was leading me to remember ... until my eyes settled on this;
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 (NKJ) (Bold emphasis mine)
My past no longer counts against me because of the salvation that the Lord has graciously bestowed on me through Christ. That salvation is not something that I could ever earn and it does not depend on my eternal credit except for that which Christ graciously and selflessly has deposited in my account. Only one thing sets us on a pathway paved with grace and that is our true love for the very God who created us for His own good pleasure. And if you haven't thought of it this way, it might profit you to give this some thought - our God is the point of our existence, period.
We were born to share in His love through relationship with Christ Jesus. It was planned before us - before we existed. So anything outside of that and what He commands is chaff, destined to meet its proper end. The love that He seeks isn't the love merely contained in words, but the abiding yearning, the desirous need and heart rending variety that consumes a being for its Sovereign, All-Holy Creator. It's the eternal crush that we were intended to bear, but one that we were given the choice to exercise. It's that love that He responds to because it's that love that brings the fulfillment of our purpose for His having given us life in the first place. When we offer it back to Him in sincerity, responding obediently to His commandments, His love surrounds us.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJ)
"Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord." Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NKJ)
I know that the Lord God is the point. Period. And that His promises hold perfectly true for those who love Him in actuality rather than mere words. Coming to truly know Him and trust Him as He truly is leads unfailingly to loving Him and truly loving Him and sharing real relationship with Him opens the door to the life that He actually intended for us from the very beginning.
Do you not know?
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 (NKJ)
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it." Deuteronomy 10:12-14 (NKJ) (Bold emphasis mine)
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