Over and over again the theme repeats itself throughout the early books of the Bible.
God's people sin- they turn away from Him- they forsake His ways and His commandments.
They go their own way and seek their own will.
They fail. They fall.
They fall on their faces before the Almighty God- and again, and again, and "seventy times seven"
He forgives them. He heals them- and He heals their land!
I am awe struck at how over and over again- the people forget the lessons they learn along the way.
Then I realize that I do just exactly the same thing.
We do just the same! We learn hard lessons along the way
that God has for us. And, then we get comfortable- complacent-
and we forget.
How can we do this over and over? How can He love us so much that He continually will forgive us and restore us even though we have to repeat this cycle over and over?
Then I look at my children and I realize that they too learn lessons again and again.
They are sorry - truly sorry for fighting and having wrong attitudes. Then a brother makes them mad and emotions take over . . . and I discipline them. I train them. They have consequences, and they are forgiven. I love them! There will always be forgiveness and love.
They return to their play- to their life- and they do so very well- For Awhile. Until they don't.
Verses that grabbed my attention this week coincide with some that a dear sister has been reading and match up perfectly with a dire situation that we are standing in agreement on.
One that we are lifting up our hearts to God about- one of life's "biggies" that brings you to your knees and has us fearful of leaning to the left or to the right- any step in the wrong direction- fearful of stepping outside of His perfect and wonderful will.
God is so funny in the way He confirms His presence to us. He is so faithful to show Himself because we are so weak that even when we KNOW we've been in His presence and heard His will- when all is quiet and we've walked away - when the day rolls on- we begin to nurture seeds of doubt.
And, He shows back up. Today, He showed back up in a moment of sharing Bible verses.
He gave the very same message to this dear sister that He gave to me using different verses- different passages- different Bible study- hundreds of miles apart without communication on our part.
The message was the same and it was clear and it was confirmed.
No matter how much we manage to mess things up- if we just turn away from our sin- if we just come before Him with an open and broken heart - If we seek Him- WE WILL FIND HIM!
Here are some of the verses that jumped out at me and where they led:
2 Chronicles 31:21
"And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered."
2 Chronicles 32:26
"Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah."
Then we hear about yet another wicked king- one who did more wickedness and led his people toward more wickedness than any other before him. So much so that God allowed him to be delivered into the hands of his ememies. And yet, again:
2 Chronicles 33:12- 13
"Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God."
After more of the same 'ole cycle- (another king - in another time)
2 Chronicles 34: 27
"because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the Lord.
Backing up a bit -
2 Chronicles 19:9 - 10 and 11b
And he commanded them, saying, "Thus you shall act in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart. Whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them lest they trespass against the Lord and wrath come upon you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty" .. . . . . . "Behave courageously, and the Lord will be with the good."
verses in Chapter 20: 13 and 15
"Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord. . . . . thus sayeth the Lord "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's."
What a tremendous relief!
And, today- in a time where people don't know from one moment to the next what will happen in the economy- whether or not they have any so called "job security" or not- and so much more-
He is faithful to remind us that if our eyes are on Him
if WE with the little ones, the wives, and children stand before the Lord
if WE keep our eyes on HIM and seek His ways- no matter how badly we've managed to mess things up- HE is FAITHFUL-
if we are His children and are seeking His will
then we don't have to worry- we don't have to be dismayed- for it is not our battle. . .
it is His- and it's already been won!
His GRACE is UNENDING-
Praise God for His forgivness and His faithfulness today~
With His Love,
