A Burning Stick

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.

2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.

4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”

5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by. 6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua:

7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here. 8 ” ‘Listen, O high priest Joshua and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.

9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

10 ” ‘In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Zechariah 3:1-10

Joshua was filthy with sin. He was also standing in God’s Presence. Satan, the Accuser, was at his right side.

Here is redemption! Satan is rebuked. Joshua is clothed with rich garments to wear, replacing his filthy ones. And a mission is given. A stewardship. All of this is done by the Lord.

I am Joshua. I have the mantle, the responsibility, the position of ‘high priest.’ I stand before God for my family and my church family. This responsibility also means that I stand before them representing God. And, like Joshua, my priestly garments have been filthy with sin and the Accuser stands at my right side, doing what he does best, I suppose.

But my God is the Champion of the universe; the Redeemer of people and I, too, have been redeemed! Satan is rebuked. Filthy clothes are exchanged for beautiful ones and I am given a mission. The change is to walk in the ways of God and keep His requirements. To have an empty life replaced with a meaningful one – what redemption!

Dear God – You are awesome! My Redeemer and the Lover of my soul, I love You. Strengthen me and give me the wisdom and heart necessary to be Your priest. Help me represent You well to the people in my life and to walk humbly with You this day.

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Healing Leaves

On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.

Revelation 22:2-3

In the New Jerusalem (heaven) there is the river of life flowing down the main street (of gold). There is on each side of the river the tree of life that bears a crop of fruit each month. (I think of this as God’s provision. There will be no need in heaven!) The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

The nations need healing! People are broken and decimated because of the curse of sin. In heaven there will be no curse and healing and wholeness will be our experience.

Heaven is our hope! It is to be desired and looked forward to – and I do. The curse of sin is real. I feel the effects of it in my life and everybody I know, really. No one is able to escape the pain that sin causes in this life. It’s almost impossible to imagine life without the curse. It’s like the air we breathe. I’m looking forward to the leaves of the tree of life!

Jesus has brought freedom and the forgiveness of sin. He has eliminated the consequence of the curse for me and has provided the way to Heaven. This is why I worship Him. This is why I live for Him. Even so, this is still a broken, messed up world. This pain will be our experience until we see Christ face to face and we’re brought fully into the Presence of God. This world makes me yearn for the next.

Lord Jesus – Thank You for the hope of the Gospel. Thank You that there is more to life than just this life! Thank You for the healing You bring now and the complete wholeness You will bring one day. Be glorified through me today!

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The Best Things In Life

Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways.

Psalm 128:1

What does the blessing look like for those who fear the Lord? The Psalmist wrote:
• You will enjoy the results of your labor
• You wife will be happy and productive
• Your children will be like olive shoots around your table (I’ll have to look that one up!)

Blessing looks like my wife and children around me. Not just close in proximity but close in heart. Vibrant, loving, enjoyable relationships… This is the blessing of my Father and is the result of my fearing Him. The blessing includes prosperity and long life. May I be SO blessed to see my children’s children.

I saw this bumper sticker just yesterday:

“The best things in life are not things”

Father – thank You for loving me… and for Your grace. I am lost without You! Lead me in the way you’d have me go and thank You for the blessing of my wife and children. May my life in You be reflected in them. May they thrive in my home and be vibrant in their love relationship with You.

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Repent and Live!

The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

" 'The fathers eat sour grapes,
and the children's teeth are set on edge'?

"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

Ezekiel 18:1-4

Ezekiel 18 is a fantastic chapter. It is clear and offers hope. The proverb in verse 2 that will no longer be quoted is about the judgment of sin that is passed on to the next generation. A man eats sour grapes and his children’s teeth are set on edge. There may be consequences for the next generation because of this generation’s sin, but there will not be judgment. God says that the individual soul who sins is the one who will die.

Children are not responsible for their parents and parents are not responsible for their adult children. Each person stands (or falls) before God. What’s hopeful is that the one who has been sinning can turn away from that sin and live! Those who have been righteous need to continue to live righteously. People cannot rest on past goodness – there must be an enduring… a continuation in living according to God’s Word. “If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die.” (Ezekiel 18:26)

So God makes clear that He will judge each person individually according to their ways. “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.” (vs. 30-31)

Holy God – Your ways are just and Your Word is true! Thank You for the gift of repentance. You allow sinful people like me to turn to You, give up our sin and be healed by Your grace. In You there is life! I live for You this day.

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