But God

Psalm 107:16-22

“For he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.  Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.  They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.”

God calls us His Saints, fifteen times in the New Testament He refers to us as His Saints.   And still, we have allowed the world, group or person to draw us away from following God for a quick fix of a real problem.  I hope you have not fallen prey, but I have more than once.  

Often, the mess I make looks unfixable, but God, what a powerful phrase, “but God.”   God has broken down the chains and bronze gate of sin, and He has also broken down and shown love and forgiveness when I came with a broken and repentant heart.  One would be wise to read about Paul and Silas in a Philippian jail found in Acts 16:16-28, and their imprisonment for doing the right thing.

What is referred to in verse 16, is not the same as verse 17, that spot the fool.  We exchange our title from saint to fool, we abandon walking in holiness and look to ourselves and take our eyes off of Jesus.  Folks that is an easy thing to do in this culture that looks at us as fools for looking to Jesus.

Now reread verses 18-22, and get a great understanding of what a repentant heart of a sinner does to the heart of God.  Only a fool would think they could con an all-knowing God, so one must come with a broken and contrite heart of repentance before the throne of God.  When that takes place, you also will experience what so many, including these Jewish folks did in these verses listed above.  It should bring joy and peace and a deep desire to worship the only God and to guard against leaning to one's own understanding.

Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ, and be there for them when they fall, but never agree with the sin that locked them in the prison of sin.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice