The sin of King David in relation to Bathsheba and Uriah was an abomination in God’s eyes, (2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12). The Lord convicted David of his sin and he repented before the Lord in brokenness and humility, (Psalm 51). Psalm 51: 17 “……a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise”
Our past failures have to be owned, repented of, before we can move forward on our journey with the Lord Jesus. When we reach a position of stalemate, a seemingly locked door, we are in need of a key to unlock the barrier. Our Father has made provision in His Son. Jesus is the full embodiment of humility. Humility is the key, God will not despise a broken and a contrite heart in repentance. If my actions do not come from the life of Jesus Christ in me, then they are not acceptable before God. There is no other way to please God than to allow the life of His Son in me full reign. When the Father observes this taking place, He sees Jesus in me and is well pleased.
The world looks for talent and ability, God looks for humility! Many seek after the fullness of God, but God cannot fill a vessel full of themselves. What am I full of? Selfish ambition, drive and dreams that I have mistakenly termed “godly” must be emptied out to make room for God to fill me and become His channel, for His purposes, for HIS glory, not mine!
John the Baptist uttered these timeless words, speaking of Jesus: “He must increase, I must decrease”, John 3:30……concise yet profound.
It is time for many of us to stop walking in childish ways and respond to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and conviction in order to move on and please our Father. 1 Corinthians 13 presents daily opportunities to allow the life of God’s Son full sway and respond to His promptings. At the end of that well known chapter we read: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things”, 1 Corinthians 13:11. It is time to put away the childish behaviour patterns that God has previously winked at, but no longer allows on the resurrection ground of His Son in us. Acts 17:30 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men everywhere to repent”
Jesus declared the first and greatest commandment would fulfil all the requirements of the law: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul , and with all your mind. The second is this, you shall love your neighbour as yourself “, Matthew 22: 37-39. This requires for us to live 100% dependently on the Holy Spirit each day. We are all on a journey to this goal that none of us have yet arrived at, but as we obey His promptings we are learning obedience and incrementally, line upon line, precept upon precept, we receive another measure of the fullness of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 5: 1-11 records the account of Ananias and Sapphira. In that day there was a powerful move of God happening. With great power comes greater responsibility in God’s people. Their sin was one of deception. They pretended to be identified with the people who were 100% sold out for the Lord. Their sin was not in their position, God would have met them if they had acknowledged in truth that they could not fully identify with their group. God could have worked with them to bring them into unity of His purpose. Their sin was in their cover up of pretending to give their all, but holding back part of the price in deception. They were struck dead and removed.
It is time to get real with God and put away childish things that can never be allowed on the resurrection ground of the fullness of God. The baggage of the old man and that Adamic nature will not fit under the narrow gate that leads to all the fullness of the Son living His life in me……my divine destiny and birthright, and yours! Why hang on to the right to yourself and deny the inheritance purchased through our Saviour’s shed blood on Calvary? He gave His all for me. What can I offer Him each day? The dying must be daily done, but the divine exchange is receiving His incredible joy and strength for each day, living a life of purpose for His glory!
Photo by David Vives on Unsplash
