Repentance – Meritt Musings

Waiting on God

www.bible.com/1713/hab.2.1.csb

Though not much is known about Habakkuk, we know at least that he was not happy with the way the Lord was handling things in regard to Babylon. He saw Babylon as a supremely wicked nation, and couldn’t understand why the Lord was allowing them to trample the Holy City, the City in which the Lord’s own Temple rested. Why should God use such wicked men to deal out judgment upon His people?

I echo Habakkuk’s questions, as the evil people I see around me are the ones who are tearing down American history, icons of our past which ought to be remembered. Why in this nation who has chosen to honor the Lord time and again are we being overrun by these wicked men and women who have stated plainly they want to destroy even the icons of the Church and rip out the stained glass?

But then I remember, Habakkuk may not have been seeing very clearly. Perhaps with rose-tinted glasses he was looking at the condition of his own people, a people who generation after generation had rejected God, and if not outright rejected, ignored God. Prophet after holy prophet had been sent to the highest kings and to the average man, “Repent of this wickedness of worshiping idols and return again unto the Lord Your God!” But the high places stayed. The Asherah poles and the altars on high hills continued to be used because the people had found other gods, less demanding gods, gods who would promise them ease and happiness, not the guilt of sin and the need for sacrifice. These were gods of complacency and indolence. These were gods who said what those people wanted to hear, echo chambers for their worshipers. Habakkuk may have been one the very few who was actually listening for God’s voice.

2020 has proven to be a year of consequences. We have laid the seeds for all of these things over the last few decades. Children who were not taught to respect American history, have now come to despise their own country and tear down its icons. Our willingness to not discriminate who can come in to our country has resulted in pandemics that started in other countries that found their way here. Our willingness to be open to every influence and thought without asking if they are true has led to the complete chaos that is out political system, and the men and women who say they represent us. We have held neither the politicians nor the media who report on them accountable to truth, and they have gotten away with murder.

When a nation turns its back on God, God slowly lifts His restraining hand from evil. Evil grows and becomes rampant, so that not even a well-armed police force will be effective to stop the evil of men’s hearts. It will not take an army from another country to defeat the United States. We will collapse from within, hollowed out like the corpse of a tree, alive on the outside, but dead and rotting within.

Is it reversible? I believe it is, because is still sending voices, His messengers, to be heard in our nation. He is still calling us back because He has not finished with us. But like the period of the Judges, he sometimes allows evil to invade until the people cry out for mercy and salvation. I believe that is where we are right now. America has been brought to it’s knees. We are not out, but we are down. And I would pray for America to realize the mess it’s gotten into and call back to its Savior and Lord. Enough with this abortion nonsense. Enough with the gay and trans agendas. Enough with the destruction of the family! Enough with drugs and addictions! Since we are on our knees, let us repent of the evil we have done one to another and repent unto the God who makes us a great nation! We have dabbled in the darkness long enough. It’s time to return to our Father who stands waiting for us, looking for our return.

Heavenly Father, I know that as a nation, we have crossed the line way too many times. We have demonstrated faithlessness. We have demonstrated our faith in armies and science and our own sense of right. Father we are wrong. And even now we are seeing the consequences of our wrong actions taking place around us. This isn’t about George Floyd. This is about justice. This is about the righteous justice of God being poured out on a wicked nation, not because they had slaves 200 years ago, but because of the evil we do to one another today. Lord I pray, please hear our repentance, please forgive! Please show us Your unmistakable love for Your people! Lord may we pray these things together in our hearts directed to You. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen!

Prosper

www.bible.com/1713/jos.1.8.csb

It’s not a word I used daily. I don’t actively think about “prospering”. But I think it is tied indelibly to the concept of “white privilege.” Of interest is the fact that “white privilege” only exists in the contexts of “white” cultures, that is, American and European contexts. Elsewhere in the world, it’s simply known as “privilege”. If you are born into wealth and/ or power, you are born into privilege. If your father is the chief of the village, you are born into “privilege” or if your family has done well in business, your family is “privileged.” It only becomes “white privilege” when whites are involved. We don’t call “affirmative action” privilege, even though it was a way for people of color (specifically people who identify as “black”, regardless of how “black” they actually are) to get ahead of other students, regardless of skin color, and be admitted to colleges. This was a system which put whites as a disadvantage because of their skin color, and blacks at an advantage. That sounds like privilege. But I’m probably wrong about that.

The argument that I’ve been hearing is that black people (specifically black people, not Asians, who were treated as slaves on the West Coast for many years), nor Irish (who were considered slaves on the East Coast for many years), nor the Native Americans (who were treated like trash pretty much the whole time), have suffered so much and have been hampered in their progress today because of American Slavery that ended in 1865, 155 years ago. The argument as I understand it goes (and I’m probably wrong, so take it with a grain of salt) is that Black African Slaves, who were brought over against their will, were put to work as slaves in the American South. Because they began their lives here as slaves, they missed out on financial opportunities to thrive and prosper, and instead spent their valuable time working for others, so that prominent white families thrived at their expense. Therefore, white people (who may or may not be related to those prominent families) owe reparations and justice to black people (who may or may not have had ancestors who were slaves). I know this is just one facet of the current Black Lives Matter issue, but one thing at a time.

So as this “justice” is playing out, it becomes okay to take and to destroy what white people have to even the score. It becomes okay to loot and pillage white-owned businesses because that’s just getting even. It is even okay to kill white people, because blacks have historically been killed in the name of white supremacy. Do you follow me so far?

So what happens to black-skinned people who prosper? Of course, they defy the narrative of justice and are marginalized. A number of black-owned business have been destroyed. Successful black individuals have been labeled “Uncle Toms” or even traitors. Black people who don’t believe in systemic racism have been ignored and excluded from the conversation. It doesn’t matter what Justice Clarence Thomas says about the issues, or Dr. Ben Carson. It doesn’t matter that people with black skin have defied the “systemic racism” and are prospering today. They are irrelevant, because they don’t support the narrative.

Is it true that there are places in this country where skin color matters? Absolutely. But isn’t it also true that there are places in this country where the content of your character matters more? Where your job experience, your wisdom, your view on the world matters more than the color of your skin? Are there places in this nation where your faith shines brighter than your melanin? Are there voices you listen to for whom their skin color has no bearing on your willingness to listen? Or does skin color make all the difference? Tell me again what racism is? Remind me what “privilege” is? Do you privilege certain people to speak into your life because of their skin color?

When the words of the Bible were penned, they were penned by people who do not share my skin color. They were inspired by a God who has no skin color, but whom sent His Son to the Jewish nation, a people whose skin reflects their residency around the Mediterranean Sea, not the abodes of the northern Europeans. Jesus wasn’t black, but He wasn’t white either. But that doesn’t mean He didn’t die for me. Jesus considered all human lives to be of equal value and worth. His red blood was shed for all who possess red blood and human souls.

That’s why His words work for everyone. Everyone who follows the words of His book will prosper. Everyone can enjoy the privilege of prospering if they heed the words of this Book and do them. Prospering is not limited to whites, but for all who obey the Word of God and do it. Would you rather prosper, or feed off of your hate, anger, and bitterness?

Heavenly Father, we’ve made mistakes. You know that we have. And Father I believe that today we are paying for those mistakes in a national sense, with not only the disruption of our economy and normal lives, but also with the violence, the hate, and the disruption of our general welfare. Our sins are coming back to us tenfold. And we are being destroyed from within. Father, may we repent on behalf of our nation. May our nation see its faults and return to its Creator? Father may Your people be salt and light in this corrupted world. May we be a preservative influence, and a light in dark places. May You embolden us to stand for You, because You died for us. May I pray these things in the name of Jesus, my Savior, Amen.

Enough

www.bible.com/1713/mat.6.25.csb

What is enough? Something that I’ve discovered over the course of the last few months is that I have enough clothes. I have more than enough clothes, so much so that since Goodwill finally opened back up, I have been able to donate a dozen bags of clothes. I don’t know how I’ve been able to gather so much, but over a lifetime, with a little here and a little there, It’s not much of a mystery.

I suppose this is the first time I’ve had to do a purge. I possessed a hoard of clothes that just don’t fit me anymore, or needed to be discarded for one reason or another. But I’ve never lacked having enough clothes to wear. That is a blessing. And I know that it comes from the Lord. I also know that I am blessed to live in this nation, because there are many places in the world where having a week’s worth of clothing is considered a luxury.

So I’ve never really worried about what I am going to wear. Neither is food that much of an issue here, and there is always plenty of water. By those standards, I have no reason to worry. If there is a land of milk and honey, then we certainly live in it. And I know it is because of God’s blessing over and over, blessing our land for being founded and continued as a Christian nation. I also know that this is eroding, and our ability to supply food and clothing are also being affected.

My wife went to the grocery store last night and told me a grim story. The beef was mostly gone. What was left was overpriced. I have heard this isn’t because of a lack of beef, but the break in the supply chain. COVID19 has affected everything, but in this case, it seems to have affected the processing plants for the big meat packers the worst. I think as Christians we ought to have our eyes open on this. We have been so blessed for so long, that these interruptions become noticeable. Christians should notice when these basic blessings are interrupted. I think we ought to remember this, because when these things take place, we know that our nation is gently coming under judgment.

It is something that is a long time coming. Anyone familiar with the Scriptures know that Israel stumbled repeatedly, and the Lord sent invaders to chastise them until they fell to their knees and repented of their sins, and then then God restored them. This is a cycle we see repeatedly in the Scriptures. In our case, military invaders are always a threat, but not a serious one. Rather, it is the political invaders, the social invaders, and the medical invaders. Our politics are constantly being subverted, to where today we are willingly closing churches (for health reasons). Our social system is being overwhelmed because strangers and foreigners are overwhelming our social structures (and politicians support this subversion) while veterans and homeless are ignored. Our medical system is being overwhelmed, not only by diseases entering in through illegal immigration but also in more subtle ways, like COVID-19. We may not be a nation overcome with military invaders, but we have invaders nevertheless. Like Rome, our chief problem isn’t that we aren’t the most powerful nation in the world. In many ways we are. But it is the chinks in our armor, the gaping holes where other kinds of invaders creep in and engage in rot and corruption within.

As a Christians, I want you to first be aware of when our basic blessings like food and clothing are being affected. This is a sign that God is placing our nation under judgment. But second, like Daniel (Dan 9) and Nehemiah (Neh 1) we must intervene for our nation before God. We must pray for national repentance, and national forgiveness. As citizens of this country, enjoying the freedoms we enjoy, we cannot ignore the fact that our nation is being eroded, and the strongest power we possess isn’t at the ballot box, but at the altar of prayer. You cannot afford to sit by and shake your head. This isn’t something that is happening to someone else. This affects all of us.

I encourage you as a believer to pray for our nation. Pray against this virus, yes, but also pray that the Lord stays His hand on our nation. Pray that the Lord preserve us for a while longer, that we appeal to His mercy, not because we are good, but because He is.

Dear Father, please hear our voice today. Father please spare our nation. Please do not lift Your hand from our leaders or our nation. We know that if you do, disaster follows, because by Your hand we are blessed. Please Lord, hear our prayers today. May You offer mercy. May You heal our land. May Your judgment complete its perfect work, but that You save Your people, and let this nation once again stand for Your great Name! In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

Sorry

www.bible.com/1713/2co.7.10.csb

Are you feeling sorry today? Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Hmm. It is one thing to feel sorry, but another to actually want to do something about it.

I hear a lot of ”sorry” but seldom see change. It is sorrow for getting caught. That is worldly sorrow. But worldly sorrow only lasts as long as the consequences do. Once the sentence has been served, the sorrow is gone, and it’s back to business.

But godly sorrow means change. It means making it right what you did wrong. It means wanting to restore relationships and trust. It means real soul healing. Always desire godly sorrow when sin catches up with you.

Heavenly Father, I know I am not a good man. I never have been. But if you have some use for me, I pray for forgiveness. Help me to be better, for myself and those around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Heavy Heart

www.bible.com/1713/pro.21.2.csb

How is it we associate weight with our heart? Where does this come from? It might come actually from the ancient Egyptians who proposed that a man’s heart would be weighed against a feather in the afterlife. If a man’s heart was heavy, he would be consumed by a crocodile. If it was lighter than a feather, then he would be welcomed to the joys of the afterlife.

Some scholars propose that this is the idea behind Solomon’s statement here in Proverbs. Perhaps Solomon was borrowing from ”pop culture” much as we do when describing death, like ”buy the farm” or ”six feet under” or something else to cushion the reality that is death. His use of ”weigh the heart” could be a sidelong reference to the Judgment which all men must face after death, as in, ”it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that, the Judgment.”

However, if we take that route, Solomon is referring to something we can do nothing about until it’s too late. Perhaps he is offering a warning. We think our ways are right and good, until they’re not. We need to remember that we are accountable for our actions. There is a higher authority to whom we must answer to.

Other translations interpret rather than translate, saying that the Lord ”examines” the heart, or ”ponders” it. This makes the statement more immediate rather than final. It makes the Lord’s activity more present. He is now examining and we can learn from this examination. There is the chance to repent here from wrong-headed thinking. So that when we challenge our thinking with God’s examination, we have the chance to change.

I believe this is how Solomon is intending this statement. Interpreting this passage for us rather than simply translating it robs us of the cultural thought process of his time. Tell me what the Hebrew says instead of telling me what it means. Let the commentators tell me what it means, not the translation. I doubt Solomon believed in a soul-eating crocodile or a set of scales weighing hearts against feathers. But he employs the picture to remind us of God’s authority over us. We are not our own. We all must answer to our Creator.

Heavenly Father, remind me today of Your authority over my life. I need those reminders because I am naturally rebellious in my thinking. I hate for anyone to tell me what to do. But help me to be humble of heart before You and others. Remind me that I am often wrong and need correction. Help me to see your truth in everything I do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Slow or Patient?

www.bible.com/1713/2pe.3.9.csb

Would you say the Lord is slow or patient? Tolkien once wrote from the mouth of his wizard Gandalf, “A wizard is never late. He arrived precisely when he means to.” I believe God is a lot like that. God is never late. He works precisely when the time is right.

If you’ve ever been praying for something, like relief from stress, pain or suffering. If you’ve been praying for direction or hope, you may have felt that God hasn’t heard you. You may think that your prayers aren’t going anywhere because you haven’t had any change in your circumstances.

But this is where God’s promise is needed. If God is not slow in keeping His promises, then we definitely need to know it. What we do find is that He is patient. Why is He being patient? Because He is waiting for repentance. For this let a man examine himself. For what do you need to repent of right now? What sin in your own life are you holding on to so that God is waiting? Are you begging God to love and act in your life while still harboring a secret sin that you know He doesn’t approve of? How can God lead if you are not willing to follow Him?

What you describe as God being slow or hard of hearing may well by your own sin for which He is patiently waiting for your repentance. Are there areas in your own life to which He has clearly spoken and you have yet to listen? Perhaps.

Father God, please accept our humble repentance today. We acknowledge that there may be areas in our lives to which You have already spoken and in which we have failed to act because of our own sinfulness. We repent today before you of this sin and ask for your forgiveness. We pray Dead Lord that you being to our minds those areas in our lives to which you have clearly spoken that we may also repent of our sins there as well, as our memories are not always good. If you would be gracious to us in this, then may you give the answer to our long-sought prayers and prepare us for the way forward. We thank today for these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.