So as I continued to think ( I had a lot of time to think, four hour drive)...How crazy is it that we are constantly trading the King's robes for peasant clothes? We settle for less...anything other than Jesus is of no worth. So why do we, followers of Jesus, live like that...why do we settle for anything other than Jesus? If we've really been following and loving Jesus for more than five minutes, we know He is far better than anything else. Paul and Silas, stuck in prison, could have settled for depression, bitterness, or anger, but they chose Jesus. Peter and the apostles had been put in prison for teaching the gospel in the temple courts, set free by an angel, arrested again, flogged (beaten severely), and told not to preach anymore in Jesus' name, and they rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name- they chose Jesus. David, after sleeping with Uriah's wife, (Uriah was in David's army, and one of David's Mighty Men- basically if David was on the other side of the battlefield and wanted a drink of water, Uriah would have risked his life to bring a glass of water to the King in the middle of a battle), finding out Bathsheba was pregnant with his child, killing Uriah, an innocent man, to cover his own sin, being rebuked by Nathan the prophet which led to his repentance and humility, mourning the death of his child, he chose Jesus- instead of choosing guilt and shame, utter depression, bitterness, and disgust at himself and his actions- he chose to walk in the forgiveness God gave him and not live engulfed in shame. The example of David teaches me a lot. I love that despite all that he had done, he was still a man after God's own heart. Corrie Ten Boom has a quote that I love- "No pit is too deep that God is not deeper still." In my life and in most of the people I've had the joy of having true, deep friendships with, this is one of the biggest struggles I've seen. Knowning that our mess ups are completely overshadowed by Jesus' righteousness and if we know Jesus, we have that righteousness in us. Jesus is, and always will be, far better than everything.
Isaiah 55:1-6
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near."
Ezekiel 16: 8-19
8 " 'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.
9 " 'I bathed [c] you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10 I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11 I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, 12 and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. 14 And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
15 " 'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. 16 You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur. 17 You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. 18 And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. 19 Also the food I provided for you—the fine flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign LORD."
You Alone Can Satisfy
By: Ross King
I have bowed at the altar
Of the world and its lies
Now I long to return to You
You alone can satisfy
I have wasted affections
On the things You despise
Now I long to return to You
You alone can satisfy
My bread of life
You're my provider
You fill my soul with living water
Beneath Your wing
There is a shelter where I hide
You alone can satisfy
There's no fortune or pleasure
That this world can provide
They have failed and they always will
You alone can satisfy
You're the Treasure that I've found
You're the meaning of life
You're my deepest desires fulfilled
You alone can satisfy
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