Bitter Waters

1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

      Johnny worked all day to finish his chores so that he could be ready when his father came home. He had waited all week for this day to come. His Dad had promised to take him fishing and when he came home from work they were going to take the boat to the lake. He didn’t get to see Dad very much and this was going to be a special day. When the boy saw the car pull into the driveway his heart jumped, it was time! His Dad got out and walked into the house without saying a word. Johnny followed him waiting for the word to pack their equipment in the car. Instead, he heard his Dad telling Mom that he was going to Uncle Fred’s house. How could he do that? How could he forget him and let him down? Johnny went in his room heartbroken and determined that he would never trust Dad again.

      There are many parts of this story that seem to be left unsaid. Had the Dad done this before? Why did he not keep his promise? Shouldn’t he have taken the time to explain to his son? But life is like that. We are often disappointed with no explanation of why. Life is not fair and can be capricious. We don’t have control over the circumstances that often seem to hijack our lives. But there is one thing we do have control over – how we respond.

      I have spoken to many “Johnnies” that allowed an unfair moment in their lives to define them. Inevitably the root of the problem is bitterness. The heart of the one that felt wronged had become bitter. They had expected better and been sorely disappointed. It hurt and they allowed that hurt to fester and grow into a deadly disease that blackens the soul and hardens the heart. Bitterness is the breeding ground of sin and unfulfilled expectations are the walls that define it.

      You might be wondering why I am talking about bitterness when our Scripture is about rebellion and stubbornness. The word translated “rebellion” is from the Hebrew word “meri” which the Strong’s Concordance tells us comes from the root word “marah” or bitterness. What a striking picture of the source of rebellion. Bitterness! Rebellion is the fruit that springs forth from the root of bitterness. What good can come from such an evil fountain? Death and destruction are the destination and men are carried away by their own will, not realizing that they have been overcome by the sin of witchcraft.

      Many who sit in church every Sunday carrying grudges and resentments are caught up in this deadly journey. They hear the message of hope and long for the blessings of God but refuse to loose their grip on the hurts that have defined them for so long. They stumble in the dark while trying to follow the light, snared by their own devices. Their joy and peace has been subverted and they cannot find it in them to come under the authority of those that have been placed in their lives as a covering. This ultimately leads them to even reject God who is our ultimate covering and authority.

      Instead they make up their own God that they can define and control. One that doesn’t require anything from them or lead them through the fire of refinement, and they cling to this false image stubbornly refusing the deliverance that God brings through obedience to His Word.

      Perhaps there is someone reading this that has been justifying their hurt. As the Holy Spirit has been reminding you of the one that you need to forgive and go be reconciled with you have once again tried to bury that Divine longing with human reasoning of the many times you have been wounded and hurt. Today you can begin a journey along a different path. One that will lead to restoration and healing, but only if you are willing to lay down those excuses and put away the hurts that have become a cherished part of your life. Don’t let them define you anymore. Instead be transformed by the love of God and learn to live.

Each Step I Take

Psalm 27:1 (KJV) - The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Have you ever longed to get somewhere but seemed to be stuck in a rut and just going in circles? The more your desire to arrive at the destination grows, the more frustrated you become when you can’t seem to get past the obstacles that block your way. I have often told people that they can’t graduate unless they pass every grade. When we fail the first grade we have to retake the lesson and try to pass again. There is a progression to everything in life. Seeds turn into sprouts, sprouts turn into healthy plants, plants produce the harvest, the harvest returns to the seed take out one of those steps and the garden won’t grow.
The Christian life is no exception. The Psalmist alludes to this forward progress in our verse. The Lord is first my light, then my salvation, then my strength. You may be familiar with Psalm 119:105, “The word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” But verse 104 gives us a greater insight into this important first step, “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” It is God’s Word that illuminates the darkness of sin in our lives. Without seeing that sin for the destructive cancer that it is we can never truly be repentant. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:9, “now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation…” I am so thankful that when Jesus stepped into the room where I had hidden my sin His light illuminated the darkness and there was no hiding from His holiness. He did not bring condemnation but He brought conviction of sin and the sorrow that I felt was not of this world, shallow and quickly forgotten, but it was deep and abiding. I realized that it was my sin that had nailed Jesus to the cross and like the Psalmist “I hated every false way.” There is no salvation without godly repentance.
But God doesn’t leave us in our despair. His light not only reveals our sin but He reveals the cross, the cross where Jesus died for our sin. The debt of sin that I could not pay was paid in full as Jesus drank the bitter cup and satisfied the wrath of God. Salvation belongs to Christ and grace opens the door so that I might enter in to the holy presence of God. It is here that we can say with Paul, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Galatians 6:14)
He is my light, my salvation, and my strength! So many want to walk in the power of God and live in the Spirit without experiencing the light and salvation. We must walk step by step and know that God is faithful to keep us. Preaching the power without the cross is empty. Preaching the cross without the knowledge of sin is meaningless for the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. The grace of God allows us to walk in His power and to know His victory over sin and death. But to fully embrace God’s love and grace we must fully embrace the destitute nature of sin and flesh that robs us of the glory of God. There is a path to victory. It is clear and when followed step by step all who come may enter. Is Christ your light, and salvation, and strength? If He is then you have nothing to fear, victory has already been won.