My neighbor's pipes have been leaking for some time. Anyone could see it. The water had started running out his front door but he kept acting like nothing was wrong. So, I screwed up my courage and went to tell him.
I rang the doorbell and my neighbor opened it. "Hey, Prentis, how are you doing?" He asked spritely. "Come on in. What can I do for you?"
He led me through the two inch deep water to his den and I sat on the couch.
"Joe, " I said with some trepidation, "I don't now how to say this easily so I'm just going to say it. Your pipes leak!"
At first Joe is shocked, then anger appears on his face. "Who are you to tell me that my pipes leak?! Do you think you're a plumber?! "
I try to butt in but he continues, "Your feet are wet too!"
Sure enough, my feet are wet. My pipes have been leaking. I look out the den window and notice that every neighbor has leaky pipes. The water runs down the street. Naturally some pipes are worse than others.
Joe asks me to leave. I go home to my house with leaky pipes. I realize that I need to get a plumber to fix my pipes. I call immediately and the plumber takes care of the leaky pipes right away. I know that this won't be the last pipe I'll ever need repaired. My pipes tend to leak a lot. I also know that I will never have a dry house ignoring the leaks either. I often have to call the plumber to fix them.
Funny thing is: Why am I so reluctant to call the plumber when I am so much happier when I am finally dry?
Go figure!
Psalm 51:10-13 (ESV)
10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
1 comment:
Perhaps, it is along these lines: everyone else does that-what or doesn't do that-what! Or, see, everyone around, is like that-what! Or why must I be different, that would disadvantage me-right, visa-vis others?! Or aiyah, what difference will it make, I am one, they are so many; can't fight it all-right, or pointless to do it,right?!
Despite not understood, there are two dimensions to the Christian faith, the corporate, as well as the personal dimension. I believe God considers and weighs both; something is looked at, individually, by God, some others, corporately. Salvation, for example, is always personal or individually, each must embrace the faith, and comes to the Lord, personally. Israelites, as a people group, or Israel as a nation, is definitely represented in Heaven, but it is not, just because one is a Jew or Israelite, he will definitely go to Heaven. God also expects each person, individually, personally, to be responsible to live out the way of life He prescribed in His Word, despite the circumstances around us. We cannot judge others to condemn, but we are to discern soundly, what we are and are not, to do, despite other people are doing it or not. If other people are not going to church, I am going to church, will you do the same? If other people are cheating on their spouse, I am not going to do that, will you also refrain from that? If other people is not bothered with a man in need, I must still try, will you?
Each is to aspire and work on oneself, with the help of God, to come to be having a clean heart. Your circumstances are different from those of mine, and different from the person next door to us, yet, God knows it all, and would work with us, and knows how to work with each of us, in coming to pristine felicity; we must want to, and do our part, even as God knows His part to play, and will do so. Running away from God is not the way, rather, the only way is to remain in the presence of God, or in the common words of Scripture, abide in the Lord. The psalmist knew this fully well, and he asked God that he not be cast away from His presence. Despite the psalmist, King David, was of the Old Testament time, he had the revelation about the role of the Holy Spirit in our life; and he asked that God to take NOT, the Holy Spirit from him. David even spoke about God's salvation of him, and he remembered the joy of his salvation. I don't know how others read Psalm 16 of King David, but I read it as his, King David's, confession of faith. (if you are interested to read of my exposition of Ps 16, hope over to www.high-expressions.blogspot.com, and look under "Psalms expositions"). David had his salvation (prophetically) before Jesus was even born yet! David asked that God grant him a willing spirit, a willing spirit to be worked on, to take on a clean heart or pure heart, and to protect that heart. The heart has to be first, pure, before we can have clean hands or clear conscience. It is only when we are of pure heart and clean hands, can we be effective in service for the Lord, to not only, point others to our holy and righteous God, people, sinners and all, would be willing to give ear to what we have to say concerning the will and desires of God.
The Christian life is to be living out, and when we do that, people can see Jesus in us, or we say, we are to be the living Gospel. It is regardless, are you and I, going to do what the Word and Spirit says?
Anthony Chia, high.expressions
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