Isaiah 57:18-19
I know what you are like!
But I will heal you, lead you,
and give you comfort,
until those who are mourning
start singing my praises.
No matter where you are,
I, the Lord, will heal you
and give you peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last
year, I bought some new “lounge wear” to dress in at home. I figured
the old flannel pajama pants and t-shirts with holes could use a
facelift! But I have to tell you, those comfortable old pieces seem to
find a way back onto my body from time to time! They are welcoming and
cozy…restful and relaxing…and since I tucked them into the back of the
drawer and didn’t throw them out, they have crept back into my clothing
“repertoire” over time.
We all know someone who has vowed to
“turn over a new leaf”. Maybe that “someone” was you! We vow to start a
new diet – and stick to it…to stop a bad habit…to exercise regularly or
spend less. And for a while, we do okay. But over time, many of us
slide right back into our “comfy old pajamas and t-shirts” and go back
to our old ways.
I know this will come as a shock to some of you,
but I am not perfect! The rest of you can stop rolling your eyes and
laughing uncontrollably. You know me and love me in spite of my flaws…
and for your grace and mercy, I am grateful. Here’s the thing - and I
know you will be astounded to hear this – but you aren’t perfect,
either! Yet you’ve managed to make it through more than few
years…hopefully with friends and family members who love you - and with
relative success in your endeavors!
The truth of the matter is
that we are all flawed. Each of our lives is something of a mess in one
way or another. Try as we might to do better - to be better - we never
seem to get it quite right. It’s enough to make some of us throw up
our hands and declare ourselves “hopeless cases”! But somehow, some
way, we survive. This is no small thing…and in many cases, it’s nothing
short of miraculous.
Hear the GOOD NEWS…God knows what a mess
you are. He is fully aware of every mistake, idiosyncrasy, bad habit,
flawed thought and action, and struggle you may have…and He still loves
you and wants you for His Kingdom. He wants you to grow so familiar and
comfortable with your new life in Christ that you no longer need the
coziness of your old “pajama pants and t-shirt” habits and sins. He
offers us grace, mercy and compassion for the struggles we encounter.
But He also redeems us and provides us with healing and peace.
I
am thankful that God loves me so much…and I know He loves you equally. I
am working to “clean out the closets and drawers” of my life and get
rid of some old habits and flaws once and for all, so that they are no
longer readily available to me. But I am also reveling in the joy and
peace of knowing that God is with me…that He loves me and offers me rest
for every step of the journey. I will never be perfect…but I can be
better. I can enjoy the comfort of God’s healing, love and care as His
“work in progress”. And so can you!
Will this be the day that
you start “cleaning out a few closets” and operating in the restful
healing of God’s grace and mercy? Aren’t you ready to trade some of
your “holey messes” for the “new clothes” of His perfect peace?
©2014 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment