I'm talking about Isaiah 3 today, so grab a Bible and read it or click here for an online version.
Just at first glance, this chapter looks to be a downer. It's all about the sin, doom, and destruction of Judah. It doesn't sound pleasant. And most would say that it really doesn't apply to us...HOWEVER, I assure you, we are just as bad as Judah. The good news will come later.
As most of my writing style happens to be, I like to key into certain verses that we can glean a great deal. This time, it's verse 24...
"And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty." (KJV)
Verse 24 seems quite harsh. But here's what it boils down to: When we put something in front of God, He isn't going to allow us to have it forever. How often do we see celebrities with riches gone bankrupt? This verse seems odd because we aren't in the times, but to have long hair is a woman's glory. And when people were fat, it meant they were well fed and often times-rich. To wear sackcloth is a sign of mourning and not well-dressed clothes. A girdle is a sash and a rent is rope. A sash was definitely better than rope to keep one's clothes on.
I'm not going to go into all the things that we have and what they can result in becoming. But I want to ask you, if it all was taken away, would you have faith in God? Would you be able to keep going if your car was taken away? What about if you lost the roof over your head? If your children were no longer with you? If you no longer had your career? If your spouse and family were taken away? So often we think we have it under control until something happens, which puts us out of control.
I've had an issue with control for quite some time now. Looking back, I can see how circumstances came that put me out of control and were to put my dependence on God. I felt in control over my vehicle until at age 16 I was in two car accidents that totaled the vehicle but me and my siblings and friends walked away unharmed. I learned the surpassing grace of God in allowing us to live unharmed midst my ever persisting stubbornness. I felt control over how healthy and how sick I wanted to be until God allowed me to become truthfully sick. I felt control over the pride I had in my education, until I no longer was able to continue to go to school. I felt control over finances until the tie was abruptly cut between being an adult and being a child. See, this is what happens when we take control over our lives. When our lives no longer shout glory to God and live according to obedience, God will test us or allow circumstances to come our way to see if we really love Him, or if we love our stuff and our control more.
Do you love Him more? More than yesterday? More than life's circumstances? More than that job you're headed to? More than that job you don't have? Do you love Him more than your family? (He calls us to love Him more than our family in Scripture so much that it looks like we hate our family - Matthew 10:37.) Do you love Him more than food, smoking, drugs, alcohol? Do you love Him more?
If you don't have reason to love Him more than these things, perhaps you need to get into a deeper relationship with Him...Perhaps you've gotten stuck in the desert. But, sacrifice over to Him the things in your life that come between you and Him. He will bless you for it and your relationship with Him will never be the same!
He is calling, "Do you love Me more?"
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