Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Grumble, Stumble And Mumble Or Behold And Ask

"Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear." - Isaiah 59:1-2 ESV

"But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ESV

Two directions... moving away from God with muffled words and facing God humbled and transformed.

"Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old" - Lamentations 5:21 ESV

Something about grace restores us. It turns us. Instead of wallowing in emotional rebellion it gives us an exit and shows us something marvelous about God. If we allow ourselves to be captivated we behold glory and in that face to face orientation we enter into communion.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." - James 1:2-8 ESV

We can grumble, stumble and mumble or we can face grace and get wisdom from God knowing that the situation is going to be used to do something in God's plan.

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