18 February 2015 - reward program

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.

Jesus, you are calling us to yourself. You are calling us to give you our hearts fully, to rend from them all that keeps us from you. You are calling us to experience your grace, your mercy, and your kindness. Help us, Jesus, to set aside the distractions. Let us experience a profound desire for you and for your presence.

Jesus, you are what we seek. We don't want to be those who busy themselves with the externals. If what we truly seek is not you, if the rewards we pursue is of this earth, it is here that we find them.

Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.

But these rewards never satisfy. Even though we continue to pursue them we continue to hunger. When we seek them and ignore you, Jesus, we forget the joy of your salvation. Even though you pursue us we do not experience your presence. Even though the Holy Spirit remains in us he is a dormant power. Our lips are sadly closed to your praise. Jesus, why do we consider this a reward? It is worthless! 

Let us turn to you! Let us return to you! You teach us to acknowledge our offense and turn to you for a clean heart. When we are lost in distractions you still seek us. You are made to be sin who did not know sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. You die so that in you we might die to ourselves.

May our reward not be here below. May our reward be in the Father's arms. May we seek it in the inner room, in the secret and quiet of our hearts where you await us with love beyond all telling. No wonder you call us to look presentable when we fast. In fasting we tap into deeper blessings than anything the world can give.

And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

You long to meet us in our inner rooms this morning. You are quickly stirred to concern for your land and take pity on us. If we tarry in the world let us run to him because the time is now.

In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.