| December 4th - The Judgment of Correction (Hebrew word: Dvwoom) O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing. (Jeremiah chapt. 10, vs. 24) At numerous times throughout the course of my life as a Christian I have fallen under God's correction. My first tendency is to want to escape that place. But the problem with that ofcourse is: there's really no place to hide from God! I have found that the best thing to do is run to Him when you sin, not away from Him. Whatever you do, don't invite more judgement upon yourself! The best place to be is that place where you invite God's correction into your life, knowing and trusting that He wants what's best for you because He loves you with an everlasting love; a love that will never fail you; that will always seek to bless you; a love that will wait for you to come to the end of yourself, and still come running to pick you up and hold you close when you turn to Him. This love that moved Him to be born as a man, and die on the cross in our place in order to receive the demands of His own justice upon Himself! It really is your knowing "...the goodness of God that leads you to repentence," (Romans 2:4) and not necessarily the fear of His wrath and judgment. When people finally realize this they gladly turn loose of their sin and turn to Him. Christians sometimes lose sight of this fact and become entrenched in legalism and judgementalism toward others. This is not the attitude of grace that Jesus showed toward us. This the very antithesis of all God stands for. If you are being corrected right now (or at any time in your life), try inviting His constructive criticism, and thanking Him for not judging you in His sore displeasure! December 1st - Lying Vanities "In You, O Lord do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me; deliver me speedily: be my strong rock, for a house of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore for Your name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me: for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit: You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord." (Psalms 31:1-6) The psalmist here cries out to his God to deliver him from the snares of deceitful men, the weariness of vain pursuits, and vexation in his soul with the tumultuous waves all around him, which like the seas, foaming with their own shame, seek to do him in. When I chase after my own vain dreams I am disheartened, let down and discouraged. It is then that I am thankful for the truth of God's word. A rock to anchor the soul when I am sea sick from being tossed to and fro by the winds of trendiness and lusty desire. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Material things never bring lasting satisfaction. People let you down. This world is not our home. Turn to the Rock who saves. Look to Jesus for lasting peace and satisfaction, for He alone is an impenetrable refuge in the midst of whatever your onslaught is, He is a shelter from the storm. Be in Him. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1), for what is your life? It is but a vapour that appears for a moment and then it is gone (James 4:14), for all flesh is as grass and the beauty of it is as a flower that sprouts and then is gone in the noonday sun (James 1:10,11). Let us apply our hearts to wisdom and number our days that we have upon this planet (Psalm 90:12). Let us find what God is doing in our generation and throw ourselves into it. |