Today's Mental Image:
Sin Sick
-|-
Bringing Shame On The Name Is No Laughing Matter
Because of grace, or at least our emphasis on its on-going saving power and our secure final end, today sin - even immorality [Romans 13:12-14], is taken lightly. David, the man after God's own heart, knew better. His sins, which are being copied by whole generations of believers, caused him deep concern, even dispair. David kept tuned to the reality we tune out: God rebukes and disciplines his children in this world. Grace does not remove the consequences of unrepented sin [sin we have not turned away from]. Can you be honest enough to identify the tie between your sin and the problems of your life? Grace does not remove rebuke. Do you even know what rebuke looks like? Feels like? Are you rejecting God's discipline in the name of grace? Do you claim he is not helping, not answering, not there, when in fact he is unbearably present in acts of discipine, even in the abandonment you feel because his back is turned against you?
The Lord is jealous for his name. He is hurt when the name of Christ is defiled by Christians bringing scorn or derision from unbelievers, from Satan and God's enemies. He disciplines, corrects, and rebukes us! Yet we feel no shame for bringing shame on The Name. We let our sins drive sinners from embracing Christ! We assist people along their road to hell, even walking gleefully with them, instead of rescuing the perishing.
O God, Forgive Us For We Have Brought Shame To Your Name!
Withdraw your discipline, your rebuke, that others may see your mercy to me and be thirsty for your love, your grace.
-
Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.
click for Psalm 39
No comments:
Post a Comment