There are so many tensions in the Christian life, for the one who longs and burns to pursue and follow the lover of his/her soul. A few years into the journey with Christ Jesus many tensions begin to arise...at least for me they did. We are commanded to be holy as HE is Holy, we are commanded to live separated lives from the world, we are told to go and sin no more and then we are told that if we say we have not sinned we are calling God a liar...I don't know about you but I'm not going to call God a liar, bad idea! We recently read a beautiful verse in 1 John 1:9-10, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."
Without dwelling on it we know that we are not called to sinless perfection this side of eternity, here is the fun tension part, we are still responsible for sin, every time we sin it was our choice and we are responsible and yet we are commanded to go and sin no more. That is one reason I love our reading in Micah 7 it gives me an answer and hope as I continue in the struggle with sin! How is that Mark? Glad you asked:)
Often when I fall and sin the accuser immediately begins throwing fiery darts at me and making accusations...things like, "you call yourself a minister and a teacher, you are not qualified, you are a failure...look at you, you are anxious over finances, over your kids, over your ministry...you are a mess, look at you, you can't even help yourself, how can you help anyone else!"
I don't know what your accusations sound like, but I believe that you know! What do I do? Micah 7 became a key for me many years ago!
Micah 7:7-9 But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. 8 Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, And I will see His righteousness.
I work my way through these precious Words and though I have fallen by God's amazing grace I get back up and enter again the race of faith! This is what it looks like for me...
“Rejoice not over me, O my enemy.” You make accusations over my failure? You will not draw me into your deception? I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me!
“When I fall, I shall rise.” I have fallen, I have sinned, I hate it. But Oh my enemy, I will rise. I will rise, not because of anything in me but because of Jesus...Jesus is my Advocate!
“When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” The guilt and shame that come with the stumbling and falling are horrible...I am guilty. Here is the awestriking thing...all I have to do is repent, confess my sin and look with the look of faith unto Jesus the author and finisher of my faith.
“I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me.” My accuser, my enemy, your accusation is true that I have sinned. I am bearing the indignation of the Lord. BUT THE SAME ONE who is indignant at my sin is the same one who will plead my cause. This same one bore the indignation at the Cross...2 Co 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus took my indignation, HE took my shame and guilt, HE became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in HIM! GLORY!
“He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication.” Isa 46:13 “I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, And My glory for Israel.
I heard a sermon several years ago by E.V. Hill, in the sermon he said that when the enemy comes against you to hit him with the Word...before it was over he had a stadium filled with men shouting, hit him with the Word! He pointed out that when Jesus was tempted in the desert that HE defeated Satan with the Word of God! In defeating Satan this way HE was teaching us how to do the same thing...hit him with the powerful Word of God! Unsheathe your weapon child of God, look unto Jesus the author and finisher of your faith and every time you fall be quick to repent and resume the race of faith!
Micah 7:15 “As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show you miracles.”
Micah 7:18-20 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea. 20 You will give truth to Jacob And unchanging love to Abraham, Which You swore to our forefathers From the days of old.
Laboring in HIM to run the race that counts for eternity!
love,
m