"What have you done?"

Four words that we never want to hear: "What have you done?" 

This was the response of God to his people on their failure to break down the altars of the inhabitants of the land.  "Now I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you."  Although the people wept, prayed, and sacrificed, it was too little, too late, and for the wrong reason. (Judges 2:1-5)

Sorrow over the horrible consequences of sin is not the same as sorrow for the sin of neglecting God himself. Consistently turning a blind eye and deaf ears to the Word of the Lord ultimately leads to judgment.  Sadly, there may come a time when all efforts to "make it go away" will be useless. 

"Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:9, 10)

"Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." (Isaiah 55:6)

Heart's Desire

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." We are good followers, for better and for worse.  However, we are being guided by the Spirit of God to anticipate a heavenly city. Our salvation and our destination were purchased for us with the blood of Jesus Christ. 

"If they (the heroes of the faith) had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one." (Hebrews 11:15, 16)

Transferred Affections

God's amazing grace is evidenced when we have become so impressed with Christ that we can honestly say to our treasured idols, "BE GONE!"

"Though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.   And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images.  You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, Be gone!" (Isaiah 30:18-22)

How wonderfully the Lord transfers our affections from things to Himself. The wonder however is that he enables us to be willing!

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."

When Little Yields Much

When so little produces so much! Just as a small mustard seed is sown and becomes a tree, so too the Word of God regularly implanted in the soul produces fruits of the kingdom of heaven, visible and useful for all. (Matthew 13:31,32)