A New Man
Jacob had a small problem. Yet it’s a worldwide problem. Willfulness, proud dependence on my own great intelligence, self-congratulation, are pandemic. It crosses all regions and all religions, all nationalities and cultures. It is the human problem. Arabs and Jews, Protestants and Catholics, from the elite in metropolitan penthouses to the lowly family living in a hut built on poles suspended above the jungle floor, from the Pacific islanders to the Sahara Bedouins.
We all have a problem and it’s a big one. It tears at us and turns us all into hateful liars, thieves, and murderers. We are all made of one blood and one fallen human nature. No race is superior, no nation or tribe or family has escaped the plague of sin. “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom. 3:13-18). Arraigned before the true standard of God’s Law, the whole world stands speechless and guilty. (vs.19).
How can you get a clearer picture of us than what God describes? In light of all those allegations against us, how have we managed to exist in God’s sight all this time? By His grace and mercy and patience and love, alone!
“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him;
Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.
Yea, all Israel have transgressed Thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey Thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him….
As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Thy truth.
Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all His works which He doeth: for we obeyed not His voice….
We do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousnesses, but for Thy great mercies.” (Dan. 9:9-11,13,14,18).
So we all have issues; we are all dysfunctional. Some look better than others, but that is simply that they are able to cover it up better. Better clothes, a facelift, heavy medication, more free-time while their slaves do all the work—it really appears they are free from the consequences of sin, yet they are just as miserable, even more so. But God is faithful to all, who will work with us to teach us to trust in Him and to lay down our proud wills. When that happens, the vain and supercilious become serious and unobtrusive. The drunken become sober and the profligate become pure. Forgiveness comes easy, patience a cinch. Like Saul of Tarsus, and the king his namesake, both were given a new heart, both changed into another man. (1Sam. 10:6,9) Even so, we can be born again and be given a new lease on life.
Jacob came away from his wrestling match with God a completely different person than the one going into the struggle. Before, he was fretful and disturbed; afterward, nothing could bother him and destroy the peace he made with God. Before, he was at-odds with and unyielding to the God of his father; afterward, he could love Him and fear Him. Before, he was accusational and self-defensive, afterward self-forgetful and ready to diffuse trouble. Before, he served himself, and then others out of obligation, because he had to; afterward he served God out of love for Him, which led him to serve everyone he met because now he loved to. Self-sufficiency broken, he was freed from serving self and soared above the high places of the earth, having overcome through the patient power of God. (Is. 58:14).
“Whosoever committeth sin, is a servant of sin. The servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8: 34-36).
We all have a problem and it’s a big one. It tears at us and turns us all into hateful liars, thieves, and murderers. We are all made of one blood and one fallen human nature. No race is superior, no nation or tribe or family has escaped the plague of sin. “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom. 3:13-18). Arraigned before the true standard of God’s Law, the whole world stands speechless and guilty. (vs.19).
How can you get a clearer picture of us than what God describes? In light of all those allegations against us, how have we managed to exist in God’s sight all this time? By His grace and mercy and patience and love, alone!
“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him;
Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.
Yea, all Israel have transgressed Thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey Thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him….
As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Thy truth.
Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all His works which He doeth: for we obeyed not His voice….
We do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousnesses, but for Thy great mercies.” (Dan. 9:9-11,13,14,18).
So we all have issues; we are all dysfunctional. Some look better than others, but that is simply that they are able to cover it up better. Better clothes, a facelift, heavy medication, more free-time while their slaves do all the work—it really appears they are free from the consequences of sin, yet they are just as miserable, even more so. But God is faithful to all, who will work with us to teach us to trust in Him and to lay down our proud wills. When that happens, the vain and supercilious become serious and unobtrusive. The drunken become sober and the profligate become pure. Forgiveness comes easy, patience a cinch. Like Saul of Tarsus, and the king his namesake, both were given a new heart, both changed into another man. (1Sam. 10:6,9) Even so, we can be born again and be given a new lease on life.
Jacob came away from his wrestling match with God a completely different person than the one going into the struggle. Before, he was fretful and disturbed; afterward, nothing could bother him and destroy the peace he made with God. Before, he was at-odds with and unyielding to the God of his father; afterward, he could love Him and fear Him. Before, he was accusational and self-defensive, afterward self-forgetful and ready to diffuse trouble. Before, he served himself, and then others out of obligation, because he had to; afterward he served God out of love for Him, which led him to serve everyone he met because now he loved to. Self-sufficiency broken, he was freed from serving self and soared above the high places of the earth, having overcome through the patient power of God. (Is. 58:14).
“Whosoever committeth sin, is a servant of sin. The servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8: 34-36).
posted by David | 5:48 AM
2 Comments:
Nice post I enjoyed!
Glad to serve!
Post a Comment
<< Home