The hard work of abiding, is, being in view of God’s mercy (Ro 12:1), to persistently put down or put to death - to renounce - our flesh, and its desires (Col 3:5), that which competes for the allegiance and devotion of our hearts, and, to pick up the cross of Christ and His manner and way (Mk 8:34-38; Jo 14:6)
We have examined our hearts toward God and the worship that comes from the condition of our heart - insincere vs. sincere and the life that comes from the measure of our sincerity. First the warning to the insincere: the type of worship that is expressed, without truly considering, taking into account, being in constant remembrance of God’s mercy and our need for it - having been forgiven much, will we remember, and love much? (Lu 7:47)
Isaiah 58:1-5 1“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. 2For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 3‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
As children of God and recipients of love expressed in His merciful grace - this might be called our “prodigal moment”. Perhaps losing sight of God’s mercy, taking for granted His grace, taking advantage of His goodness and blessing, and going our own way - the way of our own will and pleasures - and the perilous and fruitless results.
Luke 15:11-16 11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
Then we began to examine our hearts in light of God’s mercy and grace, remembering Him and His love for us in Jesus - this is the heart that persistently puts to death what belongs to the flesh and remembers, has in mind God’s mercy that produces a grateful and sincere worship - and the life that is born of it: The fruit of sincere worship: a changed character that changes behavior that changes you as it changes them: in service to God and others:
Isaiah 58:6-8a “Isn’t this the fast I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness and injustice and untie the cords of the burdensome yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? To have compassion as your Father has shown you compassion and comfort others with the comfort you have received (2Cor 1)…to share your food with the hungry… shelter for the poor wanderer… to clothe the naked… and love and serve your family?”
8a THEN your light will break forth like the dawn…
This might be called the “coming to our senses” response - when a light dawns in and to our heart - a startling remembrance of the true nature of our Father - His goodness. This is the light that dawns, a light that lights not just our hearts, but our path back to our Father and Father's goodness - the darkness of my crippled heart is chased away and the path back to Him is now illumined, by Him, and the light of His Truth. A light to our path…
Luke 15:17-20 17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.
…seeing and coming too know our Father rightly and becoming, more and more, imitators of Him as the dearly loved children that He has made us to be and that we are - and we run back to Him:
Isaiah 58:8b and your healing, your recovery, your restoration, will quckly appear
This then IS our recovery, our healing, and as we turn and go, we realize our recovery, our healing, by the real and true love of our Father (in Jesus), we are refreshed by His rich welcome and acceptance, we are restored to rightness with Him and ourself, we are returned to Him and His goodness, then to accomplished His goodness reflected by His work in us, and we go as a light of the very light of God in us to others as a proof of His goodness to us, in us, and now, rightly and goodly and joyfully, through us.
Luke 15:11-24“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
