2 March 2012

2 March 2012


"Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? 
says the Lord GOD. 
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?"

Though our sins separate us from God, this is not what he desires.  He does not delight in it.  He looks on with sadness and longing, desiring that we repent.  But do we see him this way?  Because sin separates us from him he can't ignore it.  He has to tell us about it.  He has to tell us to move past it, to turn from it, to repent.  Yet the words we hear are twisted from the words he speaks.  We hear of condemnation.  We hear of never measuring up.  He wants us to know that this isn't how he sees it.  When we repent he rejoices! No matter what is in our past, all we have to do is turn to the LORD.  Then we shall surely live and not die just as he promises.  It is the true promise that the snake tried to twist in the garden.  We saw what following him has done.  We've exhausted our own resources.  We've failed the experiment of being our own gods.  Let us turn toward the living God to preserve our lives and live.

His standard is high:

"I tell you, 

unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven."

It isn't something abstract or artificial.  For us to be truly united with he who is love it is necessary for our hearts to be given completely to love.  Sin excludes, it rejects, separates, and binds.  Even as it separates us from a brother it also puts the LORD, whose face can be seen in our brother's, at a distance.  The LORD does not delight in sin or in these consequences.  He longs to set us free.  

His mercy is sure:

"more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;"

He has already paid the price.  This is why he tells us to settle with our accuser on the way.  Our debt has been paid and if insist on trying to pay it from our own resources we will never have enough.

"If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,

LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered. "