A Consuming Sleep-Over

The visions of the prophets are not there merely for dramatic effect.  There is meaning behind everything God inspires in His word.  I don't mean to wear out the validity and urgency of scripture.  But really, what else matters when it's all said and done?   And this morning I was so excited by what I read in Zechariah, chapter five.  The first few readings of this chapter earlier in the week brought no thrill to me.  Praise God for giving us the power of perseverance.

Zechariah saw a flying scroll and even determined its size as he observed it.  And on a side note (and I use "side note" loosely as it's really a powerful addition, but for this post is not the subject), the size of the scroll is exactly the size of "The Holy Place" in the tabernacle.  I just love all these details with purpose!  But back to my excitement!  Now keep in mind the scroll represents God's law, God's word, and in verse four, God says, "I will make it go forth and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; (these are actually representative disobediences that encompass all the commands of God) and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones."

Now a theologian may say I am spiritualizing the passage a bit.  I hope not because the picture I get here, using my salvation and transformation (a continual process), is a beautiful portrait of God's power over sin.  He makes His word enter the "house" of the person He saves, drives it home to the very destruction of all the sin that person had formerly embraced.  Whatever that person's sin problem before salvation, God completely disrupts and destroys.  To have the "scroll spend the night" will be a complete turn-around and the former way of life, "its timber and stones", will be consumed.  God's power "will" transform us.  Some of it is immediate, some continual but no believer will ever be comfortable in that "house" again.

The negative side of the verse for the hardened, non-seeker who will not submit to God, and I'm afraid this is what the verse is really saying:  God will have the victory over sin and it will be destroyed forever.

Praise God for Jesus Christ Who made the way possible and for His holy Word that brings continual change and consuming of sin.

"Far From the Flames"

Taken from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening:  "The world loves not the nonconformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent.  Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise, and talks of "moderation".   'What's the good of crying down a thing when it is so fashionable, and everybody does it?'  Multitudes of professors yield to this cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin.  When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames.  When the plague is abroad, a man cannot be too far from its haunts.  The further from the viper the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better."
                          Lord, I desire to live as one who bears a blood-bought name,
                        As one who fears but grieving Thee, and knows no other shame.

Seasons of Distress

Seasons of distress are often bumper to bumper.  You get through one and run slap into another.  And on and on it goes.  Sometimes the distress is caused by your own internal struggle with sin.  Sometimes it's caused by external sin and sadness.  Sometimes it's caused by the sinfulness of others who do not consider their sin a problem.  Bottom-line: distress in this life is a given.  The cause is sin and it's here until God makes all things new.

On my prayer walk this morning, I found that not only was the physical part a laborious effort, but the conversation with God as well.  Prayer is like that at times but as I look up at the sky, I know He is and I continue to talk no matter how bad I feel because I know He has the answer to distress.

When I got into the car to go home, on the radio, a cello was playing a beautiful rendition of "Sweet Hour of Prayer".  What comfort it brought to my mind and heart.  As I recalled the words learned from childhood, they began playing in my head.  There is one phrase, however, with which I took issue:  "In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief."  I would have to disagree there.  Even though this doesn't fit, I would say "always only" found relief.

How loving is God to nudge me in my darkness and let me know He is there!!  I've included some of the words here, maybe to encourage you, too!
       Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care.  And bids me at My
       Father's throne make all my wants and wishes known.  In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has
       often [always only] found relief.  And oft escaped the tempter's snare by thy return, sweet hour of
        prayer.   [There are many more verses and the author is William W. Walford, 1845]