“Depravity”, this word keeps appearing on my mind. The Israelites in the book of Judges lived a depraved life. As I read the bible, in which I should keep on my ‘read-through-the-bible’ on to the book of Ruth, I found myself kept flipping back to read Judges again, the Holy Spirit is urging me to read again. So, I did.
The Israelites are so far off from what the Lord have intended, in terms of spiritual and ethical life. The Holy Spirit revealed that to me… ‘So Are We!!’
Worship the Lord, Jehovah, set the Israelites apart from other nations. The Lord Jehovah can only be satisfied by sacrifice that’s followed exactly according to His instruction. No exception. Period. The Israelites failed to do so. ‘So Are We!!’
Being a Christian more than 16 years, attending worship on Sunday became a habit, nothing can easily change this. The Israelites are as well keeping their worship, hired a priest, an altar and burnt sacrifice. The Lord is not pleased. True worship is scarce. The Lord cherishes His people true worship that pleases His heart. The Israelites pay no respect to God to worship Him. We, too, pay no respect to God today when we walk into His sanctuary. The Lord is majestic and dignified and worth the silent. It is grace to be able to stand in the Lord’s house. People ought to treasure it and pay our full humble respect to the Him. Movement, speech and interaction between worshippers during worship should keep at minimal, that’s elementary behavior, however, seldom practiced. Our heart drives us. Our heart filled with spiritual desire and eagerness to meet the Lord, our body open up to receive what’s being offered and seek ways to fulfill that urge. Yet, if the heart desires gratification of self-satisfactory, the body will steer for instant fulfillment of that lust. The Israelites still worship the Lord Jehovah, however in their own way, purposefully to satisfy what’s desire in their eye. My church, are we worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ in our own depraved way? Shall we start all over again from elementary level and take a step at a time, first to keep the silence in the Lord’s house await the presence of the Lord? Our heart steer our attitude. “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Prov. 4:23
Purity sets God’s people apart. It is obvious in the book of Judges that the Israelites failed to keep their purity, not just in faith, but also their ethics. The impurity of their body draws a direct explanation of polygamy practice. The Lord hates hypocrites. Hypocrites are the only type of people Jesus rebukes openly. God’s people are to be kept pure in faith and physical body. Sexual indulgent sources from a self-sufficient heart then an endless flow of disastrous aftermath will be its fruit. Samson being nagged by Delilah, Gideon’s seventy sons being killed by their own sibling, David committed adultery, their failure of unable to keep their purity eats its own fruits. “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!” I Cor. 6:15. Lord, please help us, Christians, your people, don’t take so lightly of their body. Our depravity starts when we associate with the world instead of setting apart. Depravity ends when we start to set apart ourselves from the world.
Lord, my soul is restless when I think about the depravity of your church. My heart drown, not that I am being set apart from them but, indeed being part of them. The more I am drawn closer to you, the more I see my sin. Am actually worthless of You. Jesus! Your name is still being glorified on all the earth regardless of us filthy people. Jesus, please have mercy to your church, cleanse us, rebuke us and refine us. We are spiritually unclean and impure. Purge our heart and fill us with godly desires. End the era of depravity and lead us into Your age! AMEN.
No comments:
Post a Comment