Is God Mean?

Throughout time, God has been accused of many things.  I’ll attempt to sum them up with this insulting question.

“How can your God force you to do things His way; making you submit to the way He wants your life to be lived? He gave you this life and freedom of choice so you could do things your way, didn’t He?”

I’m taking a step back to see this from a point of view other than what my limited carnal vision can see when I focus on ‘what I want’.

How incredible is it that the God of the universe loves me too much to allow me to live in my own righteousness without extending me the grace He generously provides, freely, so that I can walk in His righteousness?! His mercy is beyond my understanding, as are many of the other facets that make Him Who He is.

How cruel would it be to give someone the opportunity to do anything he wants to do, without providing the option of doing whatever he chose to do – the right way?

Rather than bind us up, submitting ourselves to God and His ways, actually sets us free to live abundantly and in liberty. His ways are not our ways (For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. – Isaiah 55:8 KJV), and sometimes seem paradoxical to us.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6 KJV

I was taught that the phrase “filthy rags” in Isaiah 64:6 was literally translated as soiled menstrual cloths.

("All our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment ..." (Isaiah 64:6). This is inferior to the KJV which has, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." "The word rendered `garment' or `rags' here has the literal meaning of "vestis menstruis polluta", that is, a soiled cloth of the type used by women in their monthly periods." The reference could not be to "garments," but to "rags." http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=isa&chapter=064 and http://www.deepbiblestudy.net/2007/03/isaiah-646-menstrual-cloth/)

In God’s mercy and through His grace, we can rise above our own righteousness (living as if clothed in those filthy rags) and walk in His righteousness; His glory.

...In That Private Place - Warning: Gross Content May Be Offensive

“Sometimes interruptions save our lives.” –Pastor Mark Cowart 

Here’s a bit of an interruption in our series of thoughts, to bring you a message from our sponsor. 

I’ll caution you again now, though the title should have given you a heads up; this contains a gross analogy.

A seemingly minor event that occurred on Saturday was stopping for lunch. I wasn’t hungry, but I kept my husband in pleasant company while he ate. Across the room I noticed a man about my age, helping what might have been his mother, walk step by step toward the ladies room. He held her hands, walking backward in front of her. They stole my heart.

But, I challenged, he’s not going to want to go in with her. I approached them, asking if they’d like some help. He didn’t plan to go in with her, so I don’t know how she planned to make it through the ladies room to the handicapped stall by herself. As he let go of her hands, I took them and led her through the ladies room and into the larger stall in the back. She trusted me like I was her own daughter. Perhaps because she had no choice, but she didn’t seem to find my help odd, assistance was a necessity. I now entered her ‘private space’ and helped her with her private matters. She clearly had no bladder control, and wore a pad. She removed the soaked and smelly thing and handed it to me, like one would hand off a book to read. I disposed of it and continued to help her; I opened her purse and held it so she could get what she needed. I helped her get redressed and then to the sink to wash up, eventually turning her back over to her son, blessing them as we parted ways.

I couldn’t get the scenario out of my mind all weekend. As I pondered, I asked God why I couldn’t shake it, was there more to it? There certainly was. I caution you again; this is a very gross analogy.

Each step of the way had meaning.

Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our righteousness is as filthy rags before God. So, anything we do to achieve righteousness in or of ourselves, is as if we’re handing Him filthy rags. I’ve been taught that the phrase ‘filthy rags’ there refers to soiled feminine products. That’s pretty gross in my book – and that’s what our own righteousness looks like to God? No wonder we need grace!

I approached the woman, uninvited.

God approaches us, before we realize we have need of Him, long before we invite Him into our lives.

I offered my help. She couldn’t do this without assistance.

God offers His help. We can't do anything without Him.

I took her into a private place.

God takes us to a private place.

I took her shameful, filthy ‘rag’ – which she handed me with no self-consciousness or hesitation, and permanently disposed of it.

God takes everything we give Him – our sin, our shame and our own self-righteousness, our worries, our doubts, our fears, our confusion. We need to give them to Him without hesitation, for only He can dispose of them permanently.

I helped her wash up.

God washes us clean, using His own blood to remove the stains of sin.

I led her back out into the restaurant after meeting her needs, returning her to her son, blessing them both.

God leads us back out to into the world, after meeting our needs in that private place where it’s just Him and us, forgiving our sin and empowering us to live, not as the world lives, but amidst this world and it’s sorrows and tribulations, with His blessings and assurance.

Though I left this lovely lady, God goes forever with us, always willing to go with us to our private places – and empowering us in our everyday lives.

Do you see additional points to ponder?



Just Look at that Filthy Gown!

What was at stake there? In the biblical account of the woman with the issue of blood, she could have risked her life just being in the crowd. According to tradition and law at the time, with a disease such as hers, she was unclean, and anything or anyone she touched became unclean, too. At the very least, she’d have to cry out ‘unclean’ as she approached like the lepers. If discovered, imagine the outburst from those she’d just made unclean.

Being the inquisitive person I am, I can’t help but wonder if anyone recognized her as the diseased woman or if they all focused on getting to Jesus. (How many other unclean people were in their midst?) All four gospels tell us she had this medical condition for twelve years. She’d spent all her living on physicians and none could heal her. Surely there had to be someone in the crowd she’d fear would recognize her. She was an outcast and had been for a long time. No wonder she cowered in fear when Jesus asked who touched Him; the fact that she was in the crowd was pointed out to everyone.

If we wrote this as a superhero cartoon, it might read: Filthy Monster meets the Spotless Lamb, doesn’t sound like the lamb has a chance. This unclean, or filthy, woman had to either presume that this Man of God would heal her, or that she would make Him unclean, too. She sought to reach out and touch the very opposite of what she was.

If detectives touch something at a crime scene, they risk contaminating evidence versus solving their ‘who-dunnit’. There’s risk involved until you know for sure and go for it. Matthew 9:21 tells us this woman was sure: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our righteousness is as filthy rags before a holy God. So dressed in our own righteousness, we wear filthy rags. And it’s in those wretched, filthy rags that the God of the universe invites us to reach out and touch perfection. Instead of us making Him unclean, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

Ponder this: If I reach out to Him, what's the worst/best thing that can happen?