1 Corinthians 6:18-20
I am grieved at this moment. My life does not reflect God as it should, and as I think on these things... My mind wanders back to that event in the life of King Josiah:
"Hilkiah the priest has given me a book."
A book that was found in the house of the LORD, long lost amongst the alters and idols that had filled the house of the LORD during the idolatrous reign of those wicked kings. All those detestable things had filled this the holy abode of the highest and most glorious Being in all the Universe. For years these lifeless idols mocked the God of all things, the LORD, yet by God's grace this precious revelation of the nature of God was preserved in the recesses of the temple. Long had the these detestable things hidden that book when it should have been read to all the people every year to keep them from evil. Ah! But this day of all days it has come to light! The book of the LORD God of Israel was read to the king!
"When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes."
Oh, the remorse of sin that has festered for so long. Oh, the remorse of time lost not spent in worship of the King of kings! King Josiah new the words to be true. God had opened his eyes and shown him the evil state of this rebellious nation. "Great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us" was what he saw. Gracious as God is, He heard Josiah. Oh divine repentance! There is no sweeter sound! God who is rich in mercy is able yet to forgive!
"'... because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,' declares the LORD."
Repentance, what a sweet sweet sound. Oh, that I may have true, Godly sorrow and the gracious gift of repentance! For even as the temple was so is my heart.
"Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
Oh, Lord God have mercy on my soul! It is as defiled as that temple with every care of the world and the desire for sin! God have mercy on my soul! God grant me repentance! That is my prayer.
And you, dear reader. Never take sin lightly for the very simple reason that God doesn't.
"... thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. "Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not be quenched.'"
God is righteous and He cannot stand sin. He hates it utterly. Sin clings closely to my heart! Yet God is also merciful beyond comprehension!
"... I truly have heard you"
He is rich in mercy and love! Oh, God grant me true repentance that I might yet serve You!
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