Captive Heart

Ezekiel 33:11
“As I live” declares the Lord God, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

I watched the History Channel last week while I was home sick. It had a documentary called Stalking Jihad. It told the tale of two American missionaries to the Philippine Island, Martin and Gracie Burnham, who were taken hostage by al Qaeda terrorist Abu Sayyaf on May 21, 2001, and the American government’s effort to locate and free them. The kidnapping took place months before the events of September 11, 2001. Once these events occurred, the pursuit of the terrorist holding the American hostages took a more fervent role.

The documentary focused on the efforts of the American government, but continued to relay the human struggle of captivity. Of all the captives taken that fateful night, only the missionaries remained unharmed. The other captives were raped, killed, or eventually released for ransom. The documentary showed the Burnham’s struggle for survival. I was awed by their faith, by the respect they had for the terrorist, by their willingness to share their food or care packages that found their way to their remote locations, by their continued prayers at night, and their continued trust in the Lord. My only thoughts were, could I be as faithful if I were placed in a similar situation?

Having read this passage in Ezekiel I now see a different side to this story of captivity. For over a year, God gave the terrorist, the wicked, a chance to “turn from his way and live.” The Burnham’s submission to captivity, their love in sharing, and their prayers in captivity, all were opportunities for the terrorist to turn from their wicked ways; to see the everlasting Light and Truth; and to know a loving God who cares for all of His creation.

It is easy to pray for someone who appears to be God fearing. But it goes against reason to pray for the wicked; to pray for anything but his demise. It goes against reason to pray for the bully, the child abuser, the murderer, or the person dabbling in witchcraft. Why waste “the fervent prayer of a righteous man” on such as these? They have chosen their path of life. They have seen the evidence of God in all creation and in their surroundings.

But according to God’s very own words, He takes “no pleasure in their death.” He is the Creator of all creation; heaven and earth; man and woman; birds of the air and beasts of the field. It all is His creation – the work of His very own hands. He loves it all!

Even a human artist loves his creation, his artwork, his music, or his poetry. As imperfect as the human artist is - he still loves and admires his creation. Nothing is more pleasing then to see others admire his handiwork, or see the joy on their face as they understand the depth of love that went into each creation.

Yet God’s love is perfect. God’s creation is perfect. God’s pleasure is perfect. God’s sorrow is perfect. God “takes no pleasure, no delight, in the death of the wicked.” He desires that none should perish, no not one.

We believers, saved by this same God, need to truly understand God’s heart here. He loves the wicked as much as the righteous. He loves the murderer as much as the redeemed. He loves the drunk, the child abuser, the selfish, those lost in a false religion just as much as you and I.

How dare we not pray for them! How dare we keep God’s love and not share it with them! How dare we remain silent about the greatest gift of all - LIFE over eternal, never ending, tormented death!

O Heavenly Father, I am continually awe struck by the depth of Your wisdom and love; and the understanding of my wretchedness. Precious Savior and Lord, write these words on my heart, my head, my hands, my feet, and my lips. May all my thoughts and actions reflect these written words. That You “take no pleasure in the death of the wicked", but rather "they turn from their way and live.” For I once was lost, but have been found, You saved a wretch like me. Open my eyes to see Your love for the wicked. Open my ears to hear the cry of their heart for You, O God. Open my lips and speak loving words of salvation that draw them to You, my Savior and Lord.

(A brief video interview of Gracie Burnham http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3001437239292144492 )

Got love?

I know a love that is so cold.
It harbors itself within the fold.
Thinking life is mighty fine;
With workings of the joyous kind.

Yet deep within the heart is collow
For this love is awfully shallow.
The err that brought me to my knees
Struggles to yield and joys to bring.

If this love is born of err
How can it grow ever fairer?
Twas grace that taught this heart of mine
It led me to this Savior divine.

O mighty Savior draw me near.
Let me see within the mirror
The wretched state of my affairs
How tainted and filthy I appear.

May my heart soon behold
The dark within that I’ve been sold.
Regardless of the gifts I bring
Forever ugly tis this being.

May the darkness ever behold
Never once to grow cold.
Remind me always of my shame
And grow my love for You - I claim.

Luke 7:47

Wrong Turn

John 11:32-33 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.

I am not known for my navigating skills. Even with the best directions I will second guess them, make a wrong turn, turn to early, miss a turn, and invariably end up back tracking. Even with the new modern GPS technology I will still take a wrong turn. Nothing is more frustrating than having that little voice say, “Recalculating, turn left, then turn left, then turn left again” just to place me back on track and heading back in the right direction.

I find this same struggle true in my life and walk with Christ. I have made promises that I will honor God and seek His face in the morning, that I will pray more regularly, that I will not be selfish, angry, or even prideful. I will once again surrender to His Lordship and authority, allowing God control of my life, thoughts, and actions.

And yet, I have made a wrong turn once again. I did it even with the Bible; God’s written directions. Even with the Holy Spirit; my Guide, my Comforter, and my Teacher – those spoken and whispered words forever implanted into my inner being. I did it again.

And "when I saw the place where Jesus was and saw him, I fell at his feet," and wept. (John 11:32 –Mary’s name was replaced with “I”.)

There is nothing more deeply moving than seeing and knowing “the place where Jesus was.” Knowing the undeserved penalty He paid for my life. Knowing that, He died for me. Knowing that, God raised Him from the dead, for me. Knowing that, He sits at the right hand of God, interceding, pleading, providing, and protecting me. Knowing that, He holds back the mighty hand of spiritual wickedness that yearns to be loosed upon this earth. Knowing that, He waits at every corner and every turn; every hill and valley; every pit and alley just so I may seem Him and realign my direction and steer towards the mighty hand of love, grace, freedom, wisdom, and strength. O what a wretched man I am that I can’t even stay the course.

O, Precious Father, my heart weeps upon seeing you. My heart has tasted the depth of Your love. My lips have sampled Your bread of life and spring of living water. And I am saddened once again at my wanderings and miss direction. I am humbled and fall once again at your feet. O Father, it is You I want guiding me. It is You that I want directing my path. It is Your light that I need to see. It is You who should be driving and not me. Precious Father, take control.

Naked

This past week I have been in awe at the beautiful colors of fall; subdued red with a hint of purple, bright orange, and vibrant yellow. All contrasted against green, brown, black, and grey backgrounds. When a tree is green the evidence of the intricate branches beneath are easily hidden. Yet as the leaves change colors the contrasted dark branch is vividly seen against such a canvas of beautiful colors.

This morning I watched this beautiful golden yellow tree at the entrance to our subdivision loose a golden leaf. I then noticed the entire floor area beneath the tree was completely carpeted with these golden gems. The green ground beneath was unnoticed by the mound of yellow that blanketed it. As the gentle morning breeze crept in, the tree began to sing softly as another, and another, and yet another leaf was removed from its branch; its own shedding of tears at the loss of its beauty. My heart was saddened at such a thing of beauty being stripped of her royal colors and her nakedness exposed to all who passed by.

O, but one day, she will be a thing of beauty. She will be a tree that gives endless life. She will bear fruit in every season. She will be the shade at the right hand of God. She will adorn the streets of heaven and her beauty will evidence the power and majesty of God. Her leaves will sing praises in the wind and will magnify the radiance of God himself. Her roots will bury deep next to the water of life, flowing down from the very throne of God. She will be renewed; a creation of beauty, a creation of glory and whose lips will never cease praising God, “Holy Holy Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come. Who reigns forever, and ever, Amen.”

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for the murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”(Rev 21:1-8)

Darkness

The dark clouds are in the sky once again. Their dominating presence holding back the bright warmth and dawning of a new day. Their pockets carrying cold rain, bitter blistery wind, and booming thunder. It is cold. It is wet. It is frightful.

Tear drops of rain begin to fall against the grey back drop, rushing downward and spilling across a dry, parched ground. Rain drops whose rhythmic drumming awake the sleepy, send the tired into deep slumber, and cause the timid to hide in fright. The darkness seeps into the house, creeping into the open windows, crawling under the door, boldly entering in from the skylight above. It invades a home. O that the night will come quickly so the darkness will be chased away by the radiance of the light; artificial light that fades in the morning. Artificial light whose power is limited by its source. Artificial light whose brightness dims with each passing moment.

But you, O Lord, keep my lamp burning. You, my God, turn my darkness into light (Psa 18:28). You descend from the heavens. You hold back the clouds. You restrain the falling rain. You hold back the night. Your radiant love is mighty and powerful. It burns as bright as day. It is as a mighty flame. No one can extinguish it and it can not be hidden. It is for all the world to see. O Lord, Your love has no limit and knows no bounds.

It reaches to the bottom of the deepest well. It penetrates the darkest forest. It climbs the highest mountain and swoops among the lowest valleys. It quietly seeps through the tiniest of crevices, and under the door of the darkest heart. It gives sight to the blind and warmth to the weary traveler. My God is mighty to save. My God turns my darkness into light. My God lives and reigns forever. He will never leave me nor forsake me.

He will turn my darkness into light. He will cause me to see and know the things of heaven. He will restore my spirit. He will refresh my soul. He will pick me up when I have fallen. He will gently lift me from the deepest pit. He will bandage my wounds and love my broken heart. He will quench my thirst and He will feed my hunger. My God is…the Lord, and there is no other. “He” forms the light and creates darkness, “He” brings prosperity and creates disaster. “He” is the Lord, who does all these things. (Isaiah 45:6-7)

The River

Nothing seems as pleasant and peaceful as camping in a secluded spot next to a rolling stream or river. Ears are cleansed of the city noise and all your senses come alive in the beauty of your surroundings. Ears hear the lullaby music of the night owls and the early morning serenades of the birds perched on the tree tops. Eyes witness the clear night sky, the twinkling stars overhead, and witness the graceful stroll of a deer, or a hawk in flight. O what beauty surrounds us! Tall stoic trees, young budding flowers, and streams full of life. Sunsets whose colors of bright orange fill the sky with beauty on the horizon. Sunrises whose golden yellow glow evidence a new day.

But what is the source of the river? Where does it come from? What keeps it full and flowing? Without this water, the landscape is dry and barren. The life of all that depends on it - is gone. Beauty is replaced by ugliness. Existence is marked with difficulty and struggles; decisions of existence are either life or death. Only seasons of green exist as the area is blessed with a down pouring of rain. It is obvious that all of life is dependent on the source of water.

For everyone who confesses Jesus is Lord, and believes in their hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, living water resides in them. They have the “river of the water of life” flowing in them. It is the source of peace, it is the source of life, and it is the source of eternity. Never fading, but ever flowing. It satisfies. It cleans and cleanses. It washes away the dusty travels of this world. It satisfies your thirsty soul. It produces food for your spirit. It springs forth and overflows in abundance and is shared with others. Shared plates of love, shared buckets of tears, shared moments of learning, shared lifetimes of mentoring, shared words of prayer, and shared moments of faith. O may the flow of living water continue in each and every one of us.

“Son of man, do you see this? Where the water flows, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows, where the river flows everything will live. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47:8-12 – italics are my words)

O, are you keeping this water to yourself? Are you damming it up with the excess baggage of guilt, unforgiveness, selfishness, gluttony, or self control? Are you holding onto salts of sorrow? Are you keeping the living fruit to yourself? Or are you sharing this fruit with others? Are you helping to heal broken hearts or lives? What are you doing with this source of eternal life and love? “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her. “(Psalm 46:4-5)

O, Heavenly Father, living water and life, I am reminded of your words, “Those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of your wing.” Come and satisfy this thirsty soul. Come and give your bread of life. Come and produce in me, springs of living water; water of love to share with others. Come and remove the baggage that keeps Your free flowing water from ebbing from me. May your water abound. May it overflow. May it create a fruit worthy of sharing. May it abound in faithfulness. May it be as clear as crystal; pure and flowing from the throne of God. Not my will, but thine O Lord – flow through me Your love for all the world to see.