Opportunity part 1
This Rant series might take a little bit of explaning. Which is why I like to do them in a five part series--I can stay on one topic for a few days and really kind of dig into it. But my point for this series is: For the most part, God doesn't force His will on people. He simply presents it to them. The Spirit and the bride say come, in the sense of, "Come and get it!" Jesus stands at the door and knocks. He doesn't huff and puff and blow the house down. He waits for an invitation, or an opportunity. And I say, "for the most part" because sometimes God does what He's going to do. Take the cross, for example. Jesus was lifted up from the earth and He drew all men into Himself. Basically, we didn't have a choice when Adam "fell" because at that time he was humanity's representative. And we didn't have a choice when Jesus drew us out of Adam and into Himself. But even though that already happened, and the truth is the truth whether you believe it or not, you DO have a choice about whether or not you experience that truth. Because its the truth you know and believe that sets you free. So when I say what I'm about to say I don't want it to sound negative. I want to be able to let it breathe, so that we can see what's really going on here. Ready? (Ready or not.) "The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God" (Psalm 51:17 NLT). This makes it sound like God won't accept you unless you're beat down, broken, busted, and disgusted. Like Christians (even though the Psalms were written before the term "Christian" even existed) are supposed to go around town weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth. And I've even heard people describe Jesus this way. Because Jesus wept (His good friend had just died). And because there is a prophecy in there somewhere about Jesus being a man of constant sorrow. (Or maybe that's a song from O' Brother Where Art Thou? but you get the point.) The point is, religion has made us so miserable that we think we're SUPPOSED to be miserable. But what I see in this verse in the Psalms is that God is all about restoration. My Bible case says, "God Allows U-Turns." And I always add that I think He ENCOURAGES them. I think God is willing to let us do what we're going to do, for the most part. Jonah tried pretty unsuccessfuly to do what he wanted to do, but like I said, for the most part. When the people of Israel wanted a human king God said, "You don't want a human king. I'm your king." But He relented. He gave them what they THOUGHT they wanted. Because sometimes, no matter how hard it is, you have to let people make their own mistakes. You can't live life for other people. And people ARE going to do what they're going to do, no matter how much sage wisdom and advice you have. But at the same time, I think God is always ready for an opportunity to set things right. If you have a hard heart... then it is what it is. But if you have a broken spirit, a broken and repentant (that's a key word that we're going to hit hard) heart then God has something He can work with. If it ain't broke--or you THINK it ain't broke--God won't necessarily fix it. But if you bring it to Him as a sacrifice... well... now He's got the opportunity to do what only He can do. Which is to mend a broken heart...