Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
This is probably another one of those places that I am wishing my Lord was not taking me, but I have learned to do as He asks, or there will be no rest for me until it is done. Today was a good day as far as my life went, work went well, I feel good, so....you are wondering what is my difficulty about today. Well today there were several posts on my facebook page that dealt with judgment and forgiveness, mostly for others by the brethern. I have learned, after many years, not to judge. Who am I to judge others, knowing what the Lord forgave me for, the depth of my own sin. I can see where some need to be discerning concerning certain spirits and leadership, but it is still not a place to judge and to put out there for others criticism. I believe that is the Lord's right alone. And then there is the place of unforgiveness, no mercy for those that have fallen, been restored by the Lord, but still held as unrighteous by the brethern. Forgive us, Lord.
I, being so human, more so than I like to think....silly me; have had to reason more than once with my Lord God. Father, deal with me as Your favorite child, please Lord, when I have to talk to You concerning my sin, I know that it grieves You, and that makes me so sad. I remember when I was young and my earthly daddy had to punish me, it just tore at his heart. I can remember a time when there was a big formal dance I had a date for and the day before I got my report card and I had been told if I had bad grades I would be punished; well, I so did not like Algebra and I had a D. I was punished and had to cancel my date. I was so upset. The night of the dance, I sat in my room not talking to my daddy and he sat in the den until after the time I would have been home. He came to my room with tears in his eyes and told me he was sorry I was not allowed to go, but I had been warned. It literally broke my heart to see how badly my daddy felt at punishing me. This is how I see my Lord when I fail Him, when I do, say or think something that is not of the child He made me to be. And it happens to all of us, because we are human, we do fail. But can you see the tears in our Father's eyes as He has to chasten us, to correct us. Then as He gently cleanses us of the sin, with the precious blood of Jesus, He tells us how He did not like to chasten us, but He did it because He loves us so much. We all have been in this place with our Father.
So why is it, that knowing how our sin hurts the Father, how it grieves Him so to chasten us, that we assume we are to judge and critique our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Those who the Lord has given so much authority to, to lead, to instruct His children are attack by the enemy in more ways than many of us will ever be exposed to. If the enemy can bring one of those down, look at the fallout it brings. Another reason, for all of us, to keep our eyes on our Lord, for only He will never disappoint, or fail us. But all of us here are humans and subject to the munipulations of the enemy. Those in leadership have such a responsibility to the Lord, and to all they are put over. It is sad when things happen in their lives as there is no privacy and it is known far and wide. Like when we fail, the Lord takes them also, chastens them, and then when repentant, He takes them, draws them to Himself, cleanses them with the blood of Jesus, and begins to restore them. Just because a vessel springs a leak does not mean it cannot be mended and used for the purpose to which it was made. The Lord can and does restore those over us, just like He restores us. Who are we to say who can be restored and who cannot? Like the Lord said in His Word, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". I will not be picking up a stone.
As I reasoned tonight with the Lord about this subject, I knew it had to be put out here, as I know He does not speak to my heart and just intend it to lie there. Not all will understand, but those who have been to the "woodshed" with the Father as I have, will know the heart behind it. I will not judge. I thank the Holy Spirit that He has given me a discerning nature, but even here, it is for my edification and not for judging. I do what He tells me to do, I follow His leading, and I have learned to give the same grace and mercy to others that I have been so blessed with from my Lord.
Father, for the eyes of those to whom You intend this, let their hearts receive Your word, let me be just Your child, Your worshiper who follows Your call.
12-29-11
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