to warb or not to warn... that is the question
If any of you have been following Yvonne or Shane's blog, you have probably seen the comments and conflicts that arise when anyone takes a stand on an issue even within the church on something like Halloween. I remember when I was part of a Christian Reformed Church, when I first moved to Winnipeg 10 years ago, that a sign was put up that caused much of the same discussion. The church sign simply said "Jesus is Lord over Halloween". Next thing we knew there was a camera crew at the door asking to speak to the pastor and wanted to know what was meant by that... If I remember right, that sign wasn't put up the next year.
I've been reading Ezekiel over the last couple of days and am seeing again a reoccurring sentance... "That they may know that I am the LORD". It usually follows some declaration of judgement for the nations surrounding Israel, or a declaration or promise of restoration, but all of it culminating in the realization that HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS AND HE DOES WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO.
And then I get to chapters 33 and 34. If you get a chance, read them. Now consider this passage in light of the Halloween and "darkness" question that has been raised by some of my friends...
" Son of man, speak to the children of your people and say to them: 'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning: his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. BUT (emphasis mine) if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and they are not warned, and the sword comes and TAKES ANY PERSON FROM AMONG THEM, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.'"
I am rattled by this. What is our place as watchmen now? I don't want to take the scripture out of context primarily because of my ignorance of the overall context... but this passage makes me ask the question, how do we warn in today's context? I look around me and see such compromise and out and out rebellion against the law and statutes that the Lord has laid out for us... some even in the name of grace... I know that the Lord has paid the price for our sins, but like Paul I ask the question, does that give us the right to keep on sinning? NO! BY ALL MEANS NO!
I know none of us get it right 100% of the time either. But I do know, for me, and for many of us, that God is calling us to something higher, something that pleases his heart and delights him, not calls on his grace again. He is calling many to rise to a greater degree of holiness... not "Holier than thou", but holiness for HIS names sake. He is calling many to be found on the side of 100% pursuit, not 10% compromise.
Almost all of Ezekiel is God telling him to go to the nations and speak His judgement over their evil and ungodly ways. But chapter 33 is addressed to Ezekiel himself as the Lord tells him that if he does not declare the judgement on these nations, their blood is on his hands and if he does do it he has saved his own soul (regardless if they listen or not). Then chapter 34 is addressing the "shepherds of Israel", and is a declaration of His hand coming against them BECAUSE THEY DID NOT feed and shepherd the flock well. They did not address the compromises, that started out small, but became sin and stumbling blocks to many, rather they joined them.
Later on in Chapter 44... it gets to the point where ALL OF ISRAEL goes astray and only the Sons of Zadok keep the sanctuary. Again without stating too much on the context of this scripture, it simply challenges me to start with my own heart, to heed the warning I am finding in scripture, but also to posture myself to be one who is not afraid to warn others... to take a stand for light in the darkness, to not hide Him in my life, but to give him priority in EVERYTHING.
This is a long post, but what it comes down to for me is this: IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL... He lives in me... what is the logic that gives me the right to allow darkness in my life? That doesn't mean I do it perfectly or right, it means that I become tenatious about keeping darkness away from my heart. I John says it best...
"This is the message which we have heard from HIM and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth, But if we walk in the light as HE is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin."
John writes this because he witnessed and heard the truth. His message came from the life altering experience he had with the LORD and he couldn't help but speak it out. He saw it, he heard it and he was compelled to share it so that others would experience it to. My heart is that all that the LORD has done in my life, that I have seen him do all around me, will be what compells me to declare his light in the darkness... I can't do it if it is just a set of rules to follow, but I will give it everything I am if it is following a person that loves me, that will judge the earth, that is who he says he is, does what he says he will do, and will ultimately save my soul!
I've been reading Ezekiel over the last couple of days and am seeing again a reoccurring sentance... "That they may know that I am the LORD". It usually follows some declaration of judgement for the nations surrounding Israel, or a declaration or promise of restoration, but all of it culminating in the realization that HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS AND HE DOES WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO.
And then I get to chapters 33 and 34. If you get a chance, read them. Now consider this passage in light of the Halloween and "darkness" question that has been raised by some of my friends...
" Son of man, speak to the children of your people and say to them: 'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning: his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. BUT (emphasis mine) if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and they are not warned, and the sword comes and TAKES ANY PERSON FROM AMONG THEM, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.'"
I am rattled by this. What is our place as watchmen now? I don't want to take the scripture out of context primarily because of my ignorance of the overall context... but this passage makes me ask the question, how do we warn in today's context? I look around me and see such compromise and out and out rebellion against the law and statutes that the Lord has laid out for us... some even in the name of grace... I know that the Lord has paid the price for our sins, but like Paul I ask the question, does that give us the right to keep on sinning? NO! BY ALL MEANS NO!
I know none of us get it right 100% of the time either. But I do know, for me, and for many of us, that God is calling us to something higher, something that pleases his heart and delights him, not calls on his grace again. He is calling many to rise to a greater degree of holiness... not "Holier than thou", but holiness for HIS names sake. He is calling many to be found on the side of 100% pursuit, not 10% compromise.
Almost all of Ezekiel is God telling him to go to the nations and speak His judgement over their evil and ungodly ways. But chapter 33 is addressed to Ezekiel himself as the Lord tells him that if he does not declare the judgement on these nations, their blood is on his hands and if he does do it he has saved his own soul (regardless if they listen or not). Then chapter 34 is addressing the "shepherds of Israel", and is a declaration of His hand coming against them BECAUSE THEY DID NOT feed and shepherd the flock well. They did not address the compromises, that started out small, but became sin and stumbling blocks to many, rather they joined them.
Later on in Chapter 44... it gets to the point where ALL OF ISRAEL goes astray and only the Sons of Zadok keep the sanctuary. Again without stating too much on the context of this scripture, it simply challenges me to start with my own heart, to heed the warning I am finding in scripture, but also to posture myself to be one who is not afraid to warn others... to take a stand for light in the darkness, to not hide Him in my life, but to give him priority in EVERYTHING.
This is a long post, but what it comes down to for me is this: IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL... He lives in me... what is the logic that gives me the right to allow darkness in my life? That doesn't mean I do it perfectly or right, it means that I become tenatious about keeping darkness away from my heart. I John says it best...
"This is the message which we have heard from HIM and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth, But if we walk in the light as HE is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin."
John writes this because he witnessed and heard the truth. His message came from the life altering experience he had with the LORD and he couldn't help but speak it out. He saw it, he heard it and he was compelled to share it so that others would experience it to. My heart is that all that the LORD has done in my life, that I have seen him do all around me, will be what compells me to declare his light in the darkness... I can't do it if it is just a set of rules to follow, but I will give it everything I am if it is following a person that loves me, that will judge the earth, that is who he says he is, does what he says he will do, and will ultimately save my soul!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home