But God Sent His Son—JESUS!
“How can we sing the LORD’S song
(Psalm 137: 4-6 NASB)
In a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
May my right hand forget its skill.
May my tongue cling to the
roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.”
When God finds displeasure with what once was “good” that has become “broken, defiled, ugly, disobedient, and unwilling,”—What is it that God promised to do—then?
Over the weekend, I was given the amazing opportunity to take a “road trip” with one of my sisters to my favorite land. As the flatness of Indiana lay on both sides of the vehicle, I remember thinking, “Thank You, God, for allowing this journey within this land that is so beautiful.”
- Yet, I wonder if our world, our land, if our culture, if His people—really are that beautiful—to God.
- I wonder, when God looks at what He has created, does He look at the universe He shaped and called “Good” as still that—”Good”
—OR
- Is the “Good” land created by God, the “Good” now defiled, now broken, now “niet goed” as the Dutch say?
- Furthermore, I wonder if God ever looks at what HE has created and decides that what HE really needs to do is RE-SHAPE IT?
While visiting our cousin, we shared food (of course), and there sitting on her counter was a piece of “unique” pottery, a bowl that her son, the father-to-be had fashioned when he was a high school student. This particular pottery was different, did not rest exactly flat but slightly rocked. In picking up this beautiful bowl, I could see the fingerprints where the “potter” had placed his fingers as he fashioned the piece upon the potter’s wheel. There were a variety of colors reflected in the clay, and one side of the bowl was slightly lower than the other side, giving the finished piece a nature all its own.
“Thank You, God, for allowing this clay vessel, this unique one that has been created so beautiful to be used by You.”
“So then, it does not depend on the person who wants it nor the one who runs, but on God who has mercy.
(Romans 9: 16-24 NASB)
For the Scripture says to Pharoah, “FOR THIS VERY REASON I RAISED YOU UP, IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE EARTH.”
So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
On the contrary, who are you, you foolish person, who answers back to God?
The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?
Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make the same lump one object for honorable use, and another for common use?
What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with great patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction?
And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon objects of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
namely us, whom He also called, not only among Jews, but also among Gentiles, . . .”
In a world where so much evil exists, can the children of God still sing His praises?
- Is it possible to sing to our Lord, even when we are afflicted?
- Is it possible to sing to our Lord, even when we are struggling?
The smallest of small answers: yes!!
- Is it possible to sing to our Lord, even when we are tortured for our faith?
- Is it possible to sing to our Lord, even when we are persecuted for our belief?
The tiniest of tiny answers: yes!
- Is it possible to sing to our Lord, even when we are barely making it?
- Is it possible to sing to our Lord, even when we are “hanging on by a thread”?
The boldest of bold answers: Yes!
- Is it possible to sing to our Lord, even when . . .
The answer of Faith—YES, YES We Can!
There is a melody that reveals what God would have His people do, even when life becomes—HARD—even when heath seems to FAIL—even when faith seems–WEAK.
- Despite what comes to us in this life,
- Come what may,
- Whether we see the fruit of our labor for the LORD or not,
- Even if we never see the LORD’s harvest,
- Even if our captors take us into captivity,
Despite Everything—We Are Called To SING, FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST—HE IS OUR PORTION; HE IS OUR COMFORTER; HE IS OUR SAVIOR & REDEEMER; & HE IS OURS FOREVERMORE!
Grab your earbuds, find the song “Praise Opens Prison Doors” by CAIN, listen, and PRAISE the LORD!
“However, it was our sickness
(Isaiah 53: 4-5 NASB)
that He Himself bore,
And our pains that He carried;
Yet we ourselves assumed that
He had been afflicted,
Struck down by God, and humiliated.
But He was pierced for our offenses,
He was crushed for our
wrongdoings;
The punishment for our well-being
was laid upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.”
- When God finds displeasure with what once was “good”
- When God sees that which has become “broken,”
- When God finds us “defiled,”
When God sees how HIS “beautiful & good” clay has allowed themselves to become “ugly, disobedient, and unwilling,”—What is it that God promises to do—then?
- That’s when God sent us a Savior!
- That’s when God sent the world a Redeemer!
Hallelujah, GOD sees the mess of the clay & RE-SHAPES US.
Thank You, God, for Sending Your Son—JESUS!