Collision of Wills

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Isaiah 65:2,5) I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who ... say, "Keep to Yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for You ..."

O

How could anyone in my human family speak such things to God? But we did--and we still do. So Jesus demonstrated these words in shocking, juxtapositioned reality. He said (John 3:14): "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up." On the cross, with His arms extended to everyone and His affection open and vulnerable, we nailed His hands, impaled His heart, and railed against His holy words.

A

I could not ban God from me any more than I could command Mt. Hood to erupt with rivers of hot fudge, but He does permit me to reject His outstretched, helping, healing hands. Whenever I exercise veto power over His call and wise commands, I'm part of the mob that crucified Him (Hebrews 6:16). Whenever I worship Him without pretension, His mighty embrace resettles me in Heavenly places (Ephesians 2:1-7).

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Lord, forgive me, please, of treasuring my will above Your will. Forgive me for excluding those people who seem less holy than I. Help me instead to offer them my loving embrace and to gently confront them as need be--like You've patiently done with me.

Sacrificial Toes

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(Romans 9:33) As it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”

O
God Himself places this offensive obstacle in each of our paths. This potentially bone crushing experience is our unexpected divine encounter with the cross of Jesus Christ as revealed through the foolishness of various modes of preaching. The cross insults our noblest religious schemes. It declares that we can never be good enough to appease God or save ourselves. The cross humiliates our best intellectual defenses against Jesus Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 1 Peter 2:1-8); Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:11-15.)

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Like both Balaam and Saul, I stumbled at what I thought was a clear, unobstructed path to self-fulfillment and glory (Numbers 22; Acts 9). But as Paul explained to the Romans, trusting exclusively in Jesus’ substitution for me on the cross is the only way I can enter into a relationship with God (Romans 9:30-32). My inflated works, my clever words, my unhumbled will detour me away from the opening that God created into Heaven.

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Lord, You’re right. This path of righteousness by faith gets brighter and clearer—more obvious—as we continue walking with You (Proverbs 4:18,19). Thank You for placing Yourself as a precious stone in my path so I could change directions. Now I walk in the light with You.

Oops!

S
"If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, they are guilty." Leviticus 4:13

O
It is possible for a community to sin, and to do so without realizing it. Even so, their guilt is real, whether they are aware of it, or not.

A
Sometimes the blood and guts of the Old Testament troubles me. I think it all seems so unfair, but I think that's because I have a naive view of sin and guilt. Of course, sin is something I do occasionally: I blow it, or I mess up. I tend to forget that sin is so much more serious than that. And what it ultimately cost God. The Cross helps me keep everything in perspective. It was horrific—a blood sacrifice of God in the flesh. Then there's guilt. It's a feeling I have, right? Not according to this passage. It's real. It exists regardless of whether I feel it. Again, I'm back at the Cross. Even if I don't feel it, I can see what my guilt look like—really look like on the Cross. Maybe that's the point of all the bloodiest passages in Scripture. If not for the Cross, I'd be right in the middle of it all.

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Dear Lord, thank you for taking my sin and guilt on yourself. Please let the Cross always remind me of how much you love me.