7/10/2019
Are we satisfied with our bodies and the way that we live? Do we work at improving ourselves in righteousness so that we will not be disappointed by the things we do? Are we living in joy, or is our existence sad and mournful? I ask all of this so that we can answer these questions... would we be embarrassed to ask God to take up residence with us in our bodies, and live side by side with our true thoughts? Would He be as pleased with us as He is with Jesus?
“In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:22 ESV
I strive to live a righteous life, but as hard as I try I find that I have moments of failure that cause me embarrassment... I do, say, or think things that disappoint me, and bring a flush to my cheeks. I might blow my horn, or mutter a cuss word under my breath on the highway when aggravated; I might even have a lustful thought pop into my mind when I see someone attractive. Then, in the seconds following one of these things, my face becomes red, and in my embarrassment I whisper to the Lord “Forgive me Father.”
“Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Psalms 19:12-14 ESV
We all do things, or mutter things that we would prefer that others not know about, and we try to convince ourselves that if we do not act on our thoughts that they are not real, and the sinful ones not actually sin, but is that true? Do our secret thoughts actually remain secret sins?
“the Lord —knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.”
Psalms 94:11 ESV
To understand this scripture properly try changing the words “that they” to “even though they” and read this scripture again. You see, God knows even our fleeting thoughts. He also warns us against those that we might dwell on because at some point, some moment of weakness, we will act on them... no physical actions or sin comes without being founded in thought.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:7-8 ESV
I remember when Jimmy Carter (a Southern Baptist, and Sunday school teacher) was a candidate for President of the United States, and in a controversial interview with Playboy magazine he was asked a question about committing adultery. Candidate Carter’s response was “I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” Of course the press jumped on this pretty hard, but He was speaking directly from scripture regarding the nature of thought and sin. He was recalling what Jesus had said...
“But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:28 ESV
Thought can’t be separated from sin. We often say that actions speak louder than words, but neither actions or words come without some level of thought. I might be alone in my car, and say or think something inappropriate when someone nearly runs into me, I might even try to convince myself in that moment that it was reflexive and that I did so without really thinking, but those words, and that thought, came from previous thoughts... no matter that it might have been nearly subconscious.
So here we are, trying to prepare our bodies and spirits for God’s habitation. Here we are trying to dust and clean ourselves so that Jesus will find us spotless, and God find us pleasing, but after all of our hard work, and desire to make ourselves presentable... after dusting and cleaning all the visible surfaces, did we forget to empty the garbage can? Did we forget to take the trash we thought was hidden from view out of our home? Was there an odor in the kitchen that we had become so accustomed to that we hadn’t noticed it?
“Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?" You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, "He did not make me"; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?”
Isaiah 29:15-16 ESV
God desires to abide in us, and for us to abide in Him, but is our house in order for His arrival? Did we wash the feet and hands of our unannounced visitors? Are we keeping all the other rooms clean as we sit at the table and dine with the Lord? Has our garbage been removed from its hidden container? Are we truly ready to receive God, and Jesus Christ?
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for all of the progress I have made in making myself acceptable to you. I thank you for the blood of your Son Jesus Christ that cleanses me, and your Holy Spirit that enlightens me to your truth, and to my nature. Help me Holy Father to dwell on every good and pure thought so that when I am caught off guard my outbursts... my responses... will be pleasing to your ear. Help me Merciful Father to ask for your forgiveness at the moment of my sin, and to not let it fester or come between us. Teach me Holy Spirit to take out the hidden garbage in my life, my heart, and in my soul. Teach me to remove those sinful things that I once thought secret, and to concentrate on all that is good. Help me to prepare myself for Jesus, and the Father so that they will find me worthy to inhabit. Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord our God who is without sin, and forever good. Holy is His Son Jesus Christ who has defeated my sin, and in whom I abide, and who abides in me. Powerful is the mercy and grace of God that pours the blood of the Son over me, and cleanses me completely... even forgiving the hidden garbage that I struggle to rid myself of. All Glory is yours Father as you make me your dwelling place.
“In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."”
John 14:20-21 ESV
Rich Forbes