Monday, January 24, 2011

Finger Wagging

You know that silly saying: "Point a finger & you'll have 4 pointing back" ?

One day God hit me between the eyes with that one ! He gave me an understanding that has remained with me to this day, & changed my whole philosophy. I used to be the type of person who went around seeing the sins of others. judging them, criticizing, pointing my finger... accusing. & then it hit me !

The Devil is the "accuser of the brethren" Rev 12:10 ... just who was I imaging ??? The Living God ? Love Incarnate ?  Maybe... NOT ! When I had a finger pointing a someone else,  ... did you hear me ? ... when I had a finger pointing at someone else... 4 were pointing back...

The Scripture speaks about yeilding a harvest, some ..................... ( ) fold; some.... ( ) fold; well, my pointing was 4 fold in MY direction ! come on now ... you know what I'm talking about!?we all do this ...we all do this. So, there I was, feeling self-righteous, you know, seeing where OTHER people were going wrong... where THEY needed correction...where I could show them a thing or two! Where I'd realized something they hadn't yet... I'd a major pride issue... :) I thought I was something special... & realizing that I knew something THEY didn't, made ME feel better... superior...

I didn't realize that it was a grace to see sin in myself. I didn't realize it was a GRACE to see MY sin. See, I was going to Jesus ... (& everybody else...!) ... with Their sin... Confession doesn't work that way ... I have to go to God with MY sin... not my neighbor's. I have to go to God with MY sin, ...& say, Father, forgive ME ... for I have sinned.

It's like that parable, you know, the one where the man owes the King a huge amount & is forgiven, & then he goes out & throttles a fellow servant & has him thrown in prison for owing a debt... (sigh) ... yes... I'm ashamed to admit it ! That guy is ME !!! The accuser, who only sees someone ELSE's sin, & points it out!

Now, I not talking about judging in the sense of being salt & light, in the sense of seeing clearly & standing firmly on the side of Truth. Because the Truth will set us free. I'm not talking about false compassion, where we say, " who am I to judge?" an obvious sin, incompatible with the Scriptures. NO!

I'm talking about choosing to point out others sin, whilst forgiving my own ... I'm talking about seeing another's fault & NOT MY OWN. Seeing the REASONS I may have been less than perfect, but holding ANOTHER to account for his ! As though Others should be Saints, whilst I have many reasons why this same measure should not be expected of me. I mean, here is this accuser, being forgiven ,,, having a HuGE debt cancelled with the King, & daring to condemn another!

hmmm... not a pretty picture.

You know, God showed me how hypocritical I was! How I, was to accuse myself... I said,how I was to ACCUSE MYSELF, & receive forgiveness, mercy, magnanimity... & HUMBLY seeing the faults of others, bring before the Father asking for mercy on their account, you know, how Jesus did, when He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know NOT what they do". Luke 23:34. (Not: 'Father, condemn them for they Know better' !!!!)

wow...

When I point a finger, I realize how bad I am... what do I mean? Well, I came to realize, BY GRACE,... He showed me... that, when I see another's fault, I must realize it is MUCH worst in my own life in some form... in Some way, I am more accountable for this sin... that maybe, I did not pray for this person, or situation as I should... maybe I was supposed to intercede, & slept instead... fasted... wept, before the throne of God for HIS KINGDOM to come, for HIS WILL to be done... that every time I was less than I could be... I was at fault. All the grace had been given, & I had failed to inspire, to convert, to beg for forgiveness for another's sin.... I'd failed to "cover the nakedness" of my brother in  Christ.

When faced with such mercy... the only response is mercy, humility, reverence.  God is SO merciful with us. He is So merciful with US! I can't even begin to fathom it! He pours out His grace on US... stinking accusing, filthy rags... & He blesses & adorns us with every jewel... He makes us His spotless Bride. Not because we are worthy & wonderful. But because HE IS ! Because He is Good, & redeems us, & we can accept this gift & respond... we can accept this gift ... & respond... or we can turn away  point fingers at one another.  "To he who has been given much, much is expected". Luke 12:48

Well, I was so humbled by this revelation of who I was & what I was doing ... & who I'd been imaging...   & WHO God IS... I... I felt such amazement at this realization of PURE LOVE & generosity,  magnanimity ... the King of the UNIVERSE... if I went to Confession, He forgave, He didn't judge me.  He was the ONLY one fit to do so, & HE chose not to... "let he who is without sin, cast the first stone" John 8:7 ... well, who is without sin, but Jesus? The Lamb without blemish. Our Pascal Sacrifice. If HE chose NOT to judge... then who am I to ???  who am I to strut & swagger as if I have things buttoned up & others don't... showing such pompous pride & boastful bragging... Lord ! Jesus! Forgive me, a sinner! Lord depart from me for I am a sinful man. Lord I know who You are & I know who I am ... You, are Faithful & True... I am unfaithful ...

In You, Beloved, I too can be faithful... but without you, I am bound to fail & revert to a shameful image of the accuser, the dark one. Jesus ! I Trust in YOU !!!! You came to save. Here I am. I come to do Your Will!! Let me see my own sin before I see another's, & if I am to see another's, let me plead for mercy on his behalf, & route out anything that is in me that is not of You. That I may walk in Your Truth & Love, Your Life-giving Love. That I may be a bridge builder, a man after Your Own Heart, an Intercessor, a lamb offered in  reparation; a Breath of Life, that I may not cause others to stumble, but to be enlivened, to be inspired, to be ALL they can because they can look & say "Jesus lives... I  believe !  ... because I can see Him shining through this life before me."

Lord Jesus, thank You for forgiving me! For being so Merciful that you did not crush me with Your judgment, although You could have! But for allowing the Holy Spirit, the Lord & Giver of Life to convict me of sin, to convict me of my OWN sin... that another's does not seem so bad ! & to do so in a way that brings Life & not Death; freedom & not a cures that binds.  But a flight of the Spirit, Heavenward... alleluia. I bless You Lord! Thank You for Your Mercy. Your great Love that won our redemption. Lord, YOU have made me a spotless bride. This was not something I could have attained to with all the human effort alone, but with Your Grace, You lifted me... with Your great Love, You took pity on me, & lifted me to Your cheek. Beloved, may I honor You in return. May I Love You with a Love worthy of Yourself... may I Love You with ALL of me. May I die to self to give life to others. May I be Your beautiful bride who is faithful, humble & kind hearted. Imaging You perfectly. May I be pure, & Loving, & true. May I be like You...

Thanks for Your Faithfulness... I Love You, Jesus.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VqRlO3wa1A&feature=player_detailpage]



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