“Let me hear joy and gladness.”  Psalm 51:8

The challenges continue.  I wrote in my journal this week, “He’s still parting the waters!”  And God truly is still doing some amazing things, even amidst the clamor of life; Covid is still here, closures continue, educators, parents and students are exhausted and frustrated. Schedules are fluid and there is little structure and routine.  All of society seems on edge. 

But I don’t always see the amazing.  All of society aside, some days I’m consumed with what seems like an episode of Survivor…all the distractions and demands of an ordinary day that push me to my limits physically, emotionally…and spiritually.  I hear nothing but noise.  The noise of a culture consumed by selfishness, lying, laziness, disrespect.  

It’s often hard to return personal assaults with continued grace and patience and kindness….with love, the way Jesus loves me.  But it’s what He wants.  People, young and old alike, are frustrated and hurting for a variety of reasons. They’re often stressed and depressed.  People need the Lord, and I may be the only way they’ll ever see their need and find His amazing love for them.  I can’t let the negative noises be the loudest, tempting me to return unkindness with unkindness, or to begin to only think of myself. 

Psalm 51:8 is in the heart of a chapter about David’s great remorse over his grievous sin of adultery and murder.  He cries out to God for forgiveness and healing, for God’s Spirit to continue to be upon him.  David met with the consequences of his sin, but he met them with that forgiveness and healing that God made available, always makes available to his children.  He met the consequences with God’s promises and His unfailing love. 

Perhaps my sin wasn’t as grievous as David’s, but it grieved God just the same.  The consequences may vary, but sin is sin.  It needs confession and forgiveness.  And I’ll say it again because it is a wonderful thing…God ALWAYS makes it available. 

      “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  (I John 1:9)

A few days ago I was hearing anything but joy and gladness.  But God met me where I was with His wisdom, His answers.  That day It came from one of my wonderful sons who listened to my hurt and frustration through tears, then chuckled and said, “Mom!  Don’t let their attitudes and actions change yours! Keep doing the right thing. Let God do the rest.”  He was right.

Today it came directly from this passage of Scripture.  “LET ME HEAR JOY AND GLADNESS!”  As I asked my Father to drown out the negative noises it became clear to me that with His help I can hear joy and gladness above all the clamor.  But it depends on what I’m listening to, what’s gaining my ear.

Listen to the noise of need.  Sometimes it expresses itself in hurtful attacks, disrespect, selfishness, rejection, sneering, unkindness.  React with kindness.  React with grace.  Take it to Jesus.  And when you take it to heart instead of taking it to Jesus?  Those times you blow it? Take that to Jesus too and find Him ready and willing to forgive and restore and move you forward by His grace.

 

What are you hearing?

Jesus Welcomes Rejects

It was the kind of moment when the impact of it just washed quickly over me and I wasn't sure what to do with it. I just knew it was so comforting and healing. It was that moment when a Truth of Scripture just bounces off the page and smacks you square in the face with how beautiful it is. I smiled, then shook my head with the realization that I am so blessed, and not worthy of the love and acceptance Jesus gives. A song came to mind:

"When no one else knows how I feel, Your love for me is proven real. When noone else cares where I've been, You run to me with outstretched hands...and You hold me in Your arms, again." (Building 429)

"They (pharisees) answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"
(John 9:34-35)

And here's the beautiful part: They cast him out, Jesus sought him out and found him!!

There will always be those that are 'quick to cast'; the infamous "they" will accuse, abandon, disappoint, betray, reject. You try to do the right thing, honor God, obey His word and instead of being able to be excited and joyful about something great God has done, you have to "answer to the accusers". This blind man had received sight after a lifetime of living in darkness. He had responded to Jesus in obedience, and experienced healing. Then he has to stand before Jesus' accusers. He chooses to defend Jesus' authority to heal him, even if it occured on the sabbath. The problem was that in doing this, he challenged the Pharisees who considered themselves the only authority that mattered.

It just melted my heart to see this man robbed of the joy of this moment and cast out. And he didn't even really know Jesus at this point! He just knew "a man called Jesus"(John 9:11)had authority to direct him ("go to the pool of Siloam and wash" (John 9:7), the ability to heal him, and compassion to do so. But then Jesus found him! He gave him a chance to "see" Him clearly for who He was, the very Son of God, and the man believed and worshipped.

Jesus specializes and welcomes rejects. Those that are written off by others as "insignificant nobodies", Christ died for, and they are Somebody to Him. They just need the chance to see Him for who He is, the One who can forgive them and accept them. And even in the grace already experienced in salvation there are days when doing the right thing just lands you in the outcast pile, crushed and broken. To live in such a way that your obedience to Christ is evident will challenge any idea or philosophy, action or attitude that is not wholly submitted to God's authoritative Truth. Rejection is a consequence and can be brutal.

"If the world hate you, know that it hated me before it hated you" John 15:18

They cast him out, He found him.
He finds me.