What Not To Wear

I just had to share this...

God Cares
by Charles R. Swindoll

Read 2 Samuel 6:1--9

We've got David standing here mad at the Lord, when, in fact, the Lord was angry at David.

About now you might be thinking, Well, I thought you said he was a man after God's heart.

I did---or, rather, God did.

Does that mean he's perfect?

It does not.

Having a heart for God doesn't mean you're perfect, it means you're sensitive.

It means every detail is important.

And when you see you're wrong, you face it. You own up. You come to terms with it.

The problem was that David had not done his homework. We often get into trouble when we don't do our homework---when we think we see pretty clearly what the Lord's will is, and so in expediency or in convenience (usually in a hurry) we dash off to do it our way.

And the Lord says, "Look, I've written a lot of things in My Book about that decision you just made, and I want you to take counsel from Me. That's why it's not working. If you want to have a heart for Me, then you check My Word, and you find either a precept or a principle then go according to that. When you do that, I'll give you joy like you can't believe. If you don't, I will make you miserable." In fact, in David's case, the Lord said, "I'll even take some lives."

Centuries later, Ananias and Sapphira did very much the same thing. They presumed on the Lord and didn't take Him seriously. We see Uzzah the same way, taken from the earth because he touched an ultra-holy article of furniture that was not to be touched, especially by a non-Levite. Who cares about Levites? God does. Who cares about little ringlets and little golden poles that go through ringlets? God does. If He didn't care, He wouldn't have said anything about it. And because He cares, we must also care.

That's the whole point here.

When we begin to care about the things God cares about, we become people after His heart, and only then do we begin to have real freedom and real happiness.

I don't know about you, but I am pretty interested in being in the will of God. I am pretty interested in being a woman after God's own heart. I am most definitely interested in freedom and happiness. I am not that fond of being outside the umbrella of God's will and I really don't like it when God is upset with me and I definitely am not fond of chains and sorrow...

The prison of this flesh of mine is already too much to handle on my own. I don't need any extra chains to add to it... but I somehow manage to add them anyway. Then I try to carry them and tell God see I got it... I got it. Then the weight becomes to much to bear and as I am crumbling under the heavyness of it all I begin crying out to God to do something and then get upset at God when He doesn't move as fast as I think He should.

Am I alone in this? 

Can anyone relate?

Oh Father, get these shackles off my feet so I can dance... because I just want to praise You...

It's quite sad how often I look back through my journal and see how God has set me free from one set of shackles and I have danced in my freedom for about .02 seconds and then just scooted on off to jump into another new shiny set of shackles with a matching chain around my neck...

Yes so very sad.

So why should He free me just to have me jump into another new set of chains? 

I think when I was younger the chains didn't seem so heavy... but the older, the wiser, the less impressed I get with the things of this world... the chains get heavier. 

I am too tired to carry these chains and they just don't match my new outfit in Christ, this white dress of beautiful linen is supposed to be unstained by the world. The only accessory it needs is the robe of righteousness that my Heavenly Father has draped over me and this crown of life upon my head. Chains just do not go with the intricate simplicity of this outfits design. 

What not to wear? Chains!   

So now I continue to sit before my God and yes I realize I sit becasue I do carry some chains, but I know He has the key of release. And truthfully I want to learn this lesson with grace and for once and for all. So I sit and wait, as He teaches me how to wait. And as I learn to wait I can't help but sing His praise.

After all it was praising Him that released Paul and Silas from their chains and so I too shall sing...
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest... Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest...
Break my hearts for what breaks Yours...