Reading the bible in the Toronto airport
Some thoughts
Jeremiah 50:6
6 "My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside {on} the mountains; They have gone along from mountain to hill And have forgotten their resting place. (Je.50:6)
Pastors who try to please men are preaching what the people want to hear.
They are not trying to hear God, they are listening to each other.
They lead the people astray. There is insecurity in the home when children rule the home. It makes the children feel insecure, it makes the adults agitated, stressed and tired. So too there is insecurity in the church when the children make the rules. ...God is no longer sovereign He is subject to our temper tantrums. He is worshiped not for who He is, but when our hat sits right. His laws and statutes lose significance and are reduced to guidelines and traditions, that can be further reduced to applying only to the culture of the time of the writing if the need arises. The older children beat on the younger children. (the shepherds are the older children and the sheep are the younger children.) Instead of caring for the younger children as a parent cares for its children these selfish shepherds lead them to places that are advantages for themselves not the sheep. What is the result? Insecurity, fatigue, lack of peace, inner fighting, angst, depression, these stresses can lead to resentment, anger and bitterness. God says, they have forgotten their resting place. Imagine going to a restaurant and walking out more hungry than going in, would you continue to eat there? Imagine going to church and after the service being further from God and knowing Him less than when you went in. Instead of hearing the truth in grace, and love, you walk out believing a lie, in self righteousness you judge others. How can that happen? Instead of worshiping you have played a game called religion. Instead of seeking the righteousness of Christ you spent time patting yourself on the back for all the good things you have done for Christ, you have confirmed yourself and your own righteousness. Instead of resting in God's presence you have been working. Your hunger is not being satisfied, your thirst is not being quenched, your fatigue is only getting worse.
What can be done?
Remember that which was forgotten and return to your resting place.
What is my resting place? No! The question is not what is my resting place. The question is where is my resting place? No! Before getting to the question of where is my resting place, we need to answer the question Who is my resting place, or Who gives me rest. If the shepherds led me to places for their own benefit and since I am a sheep who can not lead himself, then I must wait for the Shepherd who leads me to the places of green pastures, still waters and peaceful rest. This shepherd is Jesus Christ. How can I know that I am following His voice? How can I know that I am not being led on a stray path? How can I be sure that I am going to be led to a place of rest and well, to tell the truth I am tired, hungry and thirsty and I don't think I can last another wrong turn.
When coming to Christ, there is no room for coming on our terms, we must come to Him on His terms. He is Lord and we are His subjects. He meets us where we are, but on one condition, that we are willing to change. There is, I believe, a deception happening, a lie being believed that when we Christians say that Jesus accepts us as we are or that He meets us where we are that that implies that we don't have to change. The underlying understanding for many seems to be that if God has accepted me then He is happy with me, and if He is happy with me, then I don't need to change. The truth of the matter is that no one, not one single person, has ever impressed God. You can not do anything to impress God, you never have and you never will. He loves you not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because of who He is and He proved His love through what He did. The only one that God is impressed with is Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ. So does He accept us for who we are? Yes! because He has full confidence in Himself that He can change us. Does He accept us where we are at? Yes! Because He has full confidence in Himself that He can bring us to the place where He wants us to be.
So then, because we can not come to Christ at any place in our lives other than the place that we are at the moment come as you are, but be ready to be changed, altered, moved, repositioned as He chooses and in His timing. First we must come to Christ in repentance. Until we repent of our sins and of our self righteousness we won't experience His glory. Second, come to worship. Worship Him for who He is, not for what you get out of it, but for what you give to Him. Tell Him that you adore Him, that you love Him, list His qualities, give Him praise. Worship Him for His infinite strength, wisdom, counsel, unfailing love, worship Him as creator, redeemer, savior, king. Bow down to Him, lift up your hands in worship, humble yourself, prostrate yourself before Him, tell Him that you are not worthy, let Him know that He alone is worthy, thank Him for allowing you to worship Him after all, sin can not enter His presence and you carry the sin nature in you. When you do this you will open your eyes to see that while you were confessing your sins and worshiping Him that He moved you. What is the place that He has moved you to? Look around. There is lush green grass around you, there is a pool of still water to drink from, there is shade under some big tree. It is a resting place. You are rested, fed, your thirst has been satisfied. It is good! You came to repent, to humble yourself, to worship, you entered into His presence and His glory descended upon you and you could not keep the tears from flowing and when you opened your eyes you realized that you have been restored, you have rested, you are filled, satisfied, you have peace you have been refreshed in Christ the One Who gives rest because only in Him can rest be found. Don't forget your resting place be sure to return often, remind yourself that God has called you to rest in Him, not to work you till you drop or to give you stress. Rest in Christ, and do not fear those who rely on their own righteousness, those who tell you what to do, who say to you stop praying and start doing, or enough of the worshiping and lets get to the working.
The resting place in Christ is very good, when you find it, don't let it go.
Thoughts on Jeremiah 50:6 – December 29, 2008 while waiting in the Toronto airport for our flight to Frankfurt.
Cliff Dueck
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