Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“These are the sons of Ehud. These are the heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Geba, who were carried captive to Manahath: Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them captive; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. Shaharaim became the father of children in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away. Hushim and Baara were his wives. By Hodesh his wife, he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, Jeuz, Shachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ households. By Hushim, he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns; and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath;”
(1 Chronicles 8:6-13)

““Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.””
(Luke 10:13-16)

They were ‘sent out’, not divorced. Looking at the Hebrew, it is clear that something about these marriages were spiritually or legally improper. It has always been important for God’s people to remember that they WERE God’s people. That they had a responsibility to be spiritually proper. To live godly lives. To align themselves with the loving, proper, and godly blessing that comes from being a child of God. Of being lovingly devoted to the One who is lovingly devoted to us.

Repentance isn’t about us saying sorry. It isn’t about us saying something is wrong. It is about us seeing the truth of the Lord’s moral character, the truth of His righteousness, and aligning ourselves with His point of view. Not rejecting Him because of our point of view. Because of what we think. Or feel. Or believe. But accepting Him because of who He is, what He says, and how He shows us His goodness in everything He does. God consistently reveals Himself to us and it’s our responsibility to respond to Him. When we don’t, we make a foolish decision. When we do, we choose the best thing for ourselves and all those around us.

Summary

God isn’t trying to harm us. He doesn’t WANT to judge us. He WILL because He is righteous and just. He would rather REWARD us. None of us is perfect. We miss it. We interpret the Word incorrectly. We trip up. We are human. But Jesus isn’t going anywhere. He is RIGHT THERE beside us. There to pick us up. To help us repent. To teach us what the Word really says. He empowers us and guides us. But we have to choose to submit. To pick His Way, not our way. To let Jesus live THROUGH us as well as living IN us (Galatians 2:20).