A MorningThought
With a cup of coffee in hand and the beautiful morning inspiration of Shabbat, I want to take some time and share a couple of things with you to help shape your day. My morning devotion comes from some readings about Leviticus 16 where God is instructing Moses and talks to Aaron about the recent loss of his boys. The Tabernacle was to be a place of revered holiness and sanctity. It required purity in order to keep it holy to the Lord. The impacting statement was that Holiness is a state where purity is required. In other words, if I want holiness in my life, it will require me to be aware of what makes me pure and what contaminates my life. I’m pretty sure that I have some areas to work on with the purity thing. I’m a redhead and that should tell you a lot. Sometimes my temper ignites at a moment’s notice and my mouth can say things that are not very nice.
I was reminded this week about Psalm 51:10 where David prays “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” The word for create in Hebrew is bara which is the same word God used in Genesis 1:1 when God created something out of nothing. The picture here is that David recognized that God would have to create the clean heart in him, not mend it, not improve it, not fix the one he had, but God would have to do something that had never been done before in creating a pure heart for him. I believe it would be a totally new, almost unrecognizable heart!
When Jesus spoke to His boys on the mount of Beatitudes and said; “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God,” He was pointing to the Psalm of His father, David. Also implying that a pure heart is required for holiness.
Now this isn’t really what I wanted to share with you this morning, although if that was all I had, it would be great, but I want to share something that I felt like the Lord spoke to my heart in prayer.
Coming into His Presence is thrilling to me. I love to be able to focus on Him and feel like He is as close as a breath away. I was sharing with him my heart about an individual close to my heart and I was telling the Lord I was so brokenhearted for him. The Lord stopped me in my tracks and asked me, “You’re going to be brokenhearted when I’m not done? Really, you’re going to choose to be broken and sad when what’s coming is going to be glorious? Jer (that’s what He calls me), I’m only beginning my work here! Why don’t you start the party now so you’ll be ready to rejoice when you see what I will do?”
Big realization – Today – the rejoicing we do now before His big finish will prepare us for the upcoming Glory that will be displayed as He completes the work He began so long ago! Redemption is a process – He declares it and we live it out! He is purifying our hearts! How does that fit with the Create part of today’s thoughtful moments? Well, let me tell you that His creating in me takes me to the places where He puts that joy in me immediately upon revealing to me what His perspective is. He is creating a space of joy and comfort and hope and love where I never imagined that I could find it! He is drawing me to His heart!
So, guess what? I’m starting the party! Will you join me today, knowing that God isn’t done with this picture, He’s in process! We have a choice, live in despair and sorrow, or live with the great knowledge that He’s got this! And when it happens and our prayers are answered, we’re going to be ready for the glorious appearing of our amazing, awesome, Holy and worthy God!
