Introduction to the Devout Life Pt1 Ch3:
Devotion is Suitable to Every Vocation and Profession
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 3
I don’t have to look far in my own life to find areas of spiritual harlotry. Indeed adultery is rampant in our culture and in our churches. It is nothing more than a manifestation of how we do not fear the Lord in the depths of our hearts. We flirt with sins against the Spirit as we do the sins against our own spirits. The wages of sin is death, yet the fear of spiritual death does nothing to motivate one towards holiness. As I read the charges of harlotry being laid against Israel I see God giving her a certificate of divorce for her infidelity, yet God in His mercy after giving her the certificate that He is still married to her and seeks to reconcile her to himself upon repentance.
Looking into the idea that infidelity is justification for divorce, but ignore the fact that upon repentance is justification for restoration. God’s own call to the prodigal! Turn from your infidelity and be restored to your Husband! He will give to her ‘according’ to His own Heart! Such grace, such healing, such reconciliation that leaves no debt to be paid but thankfulness and worship! Sad that I in my own vindication have held the smallest of infractions to the charge of one for even the most unintentional of trespasses! Thank God I have seen this example of God to Israel played out in my own life to teach me the character of the Father!
Merciful God, blessed be Your name forevermore! I am lost in my contemplation for Your infinite heart which gives to me full restoration when I have strayed so far from you having not honored you as my Spouse, nor feared You as God! Forgive me Lord for setting up for myself deaf, blind and dumb idols when You in Your love offer me so much love. What joy overflows my heart to hear Your voice call to me to return, to be forgiven and welcomed in again!
And to think that God will take back this bride (Israel) despite her repeated offenses boggles my mind. I know I’ve been hurt in the past, and there is NO WAY I want reconciliation with those people. Granted, I was never married to them… But, I can see just how much God loves beyond human understanding when I ask myself, “Could I really be like Jesus?” regarding certain things in my life that parallel the relationship between God and the church. I guess that shows that I (and we all) have room to grow.
Amanda that is a great comment.
WWJD so many will toss around, yet would we really do what Jesus would? It makes me stop and really consider what it means to be His disciple. What I wrestle with is the fact that forgiveness and reconciliation are very basic virtues of the faith.
I am reminded of the parable from Matthew 18
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 “And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 “But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
26 “The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
27 “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
30 “And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 “So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32 “Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 ‘Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’
34 “And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
It convicts me as I think of how many relationships I trashed because I couldn’t forgive completely. You’re right we all have room to grow.
Good words, thanks!
I was recently looking into that verse about “heaping coals upon your enemy’s head” And I found a very interesting comment about it: Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 25:22 This is not to be understood as a revengeful act intended to embarrass its victim, but just the opposite. The picture is that of the high priest (Lev. 16:12) who, on the Day of Atonement, took his censer and filled it with “coals of fire” from off the altar of burnt offering, and then put incense on the coals to create a pleasing, sweet-smelling fragrance. The cloud or smoke of the incense covered the mercy seat and was acceptable to God for atonement. Samuel Wesley wrote: “So artists melt the sullen ore of lead, By heaping coals of fire upon its head: In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow, And pure from dross the silver runs below.”
So I can be a “covering” for my enemy, to recieve atonment, to become “acceptable” to God? My flesh cries out the injustice, he is my “enemy”. Lord help me to see everyone, even my “enemy’s” as You see them, Your child, who You died to save. Help me t see them as my brother and sister. I really only have one enemy of my soul, and he is not flesh and blood.
Great Word April thanks for adding the comment to this post!