Reading: Isaiah 32
My Verse: "The fool will no more be called noble,
nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.
For the fool speaks folly,
and his heart is busy with iniquity,
to practice ungodliness,
to utter error concerning the LORD,
to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
As for the scoundrel - his devices are evil;
he plans wicked schemes
to ruin the poor with lying words,
even when the plea of the needy is right
But he who is noble plans noble things,
and on noble things he stands" (32:5-7)
But he who is noble plans noble things,
and on noble things he stands" (32:5-7)
Recently a respected police officer's secret life was exposed. His death had shocked and upset his community, then the exposure of who he really was and the things he had done again shocked the community that thought him to be a noble man, only to find he was a scoundrel. One wonders how many live a double life? Trying desperately to appear to be "good" and yet secretly doing things that are either foolish or downright wicked.
The first part of this verse tells us "the fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable." You tell us in Your Word LORD God that in the end all will be exposed. All the deeds done will come to light - your exposing, righteous light.
"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open" (Luke 8:17)
The dictionary says a fool is "a silly or stupid person; a person who lacks judgement or sense." You LORD God tell us here that a fool's heart is "busy with iniquity." That to be "busy with iniquity" is to "practice ungodliness", "to utter error concerning the LORD", "to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied", and "to deprive the thirsty of drink." It seems a fool lives a very careless, thoughtless life.
The scoundrel on the other hand lives intentionally - he knows exactly what he is about. The dictionary states that a scoundrel is: "an unprincipled, dishonorable person, villain." You, LORD God, tell us a scoundrel actually "plans wicked schemes" by lying to ruin those in need of help.
From this we know what a noble person is not: neither a fool nor a scoundrel. How then is it possible that so many fools and scoundrels are mistaken by people to be noble like the police officer? Why are we so easily taken in by these characters?
This makes me think about how bankers are trained to know a real bill of currency - by constantly handling it, looking at it, feeling it, etc. By knowing the real thing they will then know that which is fake. And so it must be with me - I need to know You, LORD God. You are all that is good and noble. I need to know You in order to know what it is to be good and noble. And to get to know You, I need to read and study Your world, talk to You, spend time with You! I need to immerse myself in You!
I have heard people say they needed to figure out who they were - they needed to truly understand themselves. I recall a quote, I think it was CSLewis, saying - and I paraphrase, "we need to be careful with the self searching as we will in that search find a self we do not like." To those wanting a life that is noble - You, LORD God need to be the focus. For it is only You who can enable us to live a noble life. A life that "plans noble things" and "on noble things stands."
It is a wonderful thing to know that You love fools and scoundrels. You are willing to forgive them their waywardness and wipe away their sins "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalm 103:12). With You we can find love and forgiveness and the ability to live the noble life You would have us to live!
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
The first part of this verse tells us "the fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable." You tell us in Your Word LORD God that in the end all will be exposed. All the deeds done will come to light - your exposing, righteous light.
"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open" (Luke 8:17)
The dictionary says a fool is "a silly or stupid person; a person who lacks judgement or sense." You LORD God tell us here that a fool's heart is "busy with iniquity." That to be "busy with iniquity" is to "practice ungodliness", "to utter error concerning the LORD", "to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied", and "to deprive the thirsty of drink." It seems a fool lives a very careless, thoughtless life.
The scoundrel on the other hand lives intentionally - he knows exactly what he is about. The dictionary states that a scoundrel is: "an unprincipled, dishonorable person, villain." You, LORD God, tell us a scoundrel actually "plans wicked schemes" by lying to ruin those in need of help.
From this we know what a noble person is not: neither a fool nor a scoundrel. How then is it possible that so many fools and scoundrels are mistaken by people to be noble like the police officer? Why are we so easily taken in by these characters?
This makes me think about how bankers are trained to know a real bill of currency - by constantly handling it, looking at it, feeling it, etc. By knowing the real thing they will then know that which is fake. And so it must be with me - I need to know You, LORD God. You are all that is good and noble. I need to know You in order to know what it is to be good and noble. And to get to know You, I need to read and study Your world, talk to You, spend time with You! I need to immerse myself in You!
I have heard people say they needed to figure out who they were - they needed to truly understand themselves. I recall a quote, I think it was CSLewis, saying - and I paraphrase, "we need to be careful with the self searching as we will in that search find a self we do not like." To those wanting a life that is noble - You, LORD God need to be the focus. For it is only You who can enable us to live a noble life. A life that "plans noble things" and "on noble things stands."
It is a wonderful thing to know that You love fools and scoundrels. You are willing to forgive them their waywardness and wipe away their sins "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalm 103:12). With You we can find love and forgiveness and the ability to live the noble life You would have us to live!
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
No comments:
Post a Comment