O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, so may you pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane! Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Lord. (Verses 13-16) italics mine
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt. "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus...Luke 18
I don't believe I've ever prayed for someone in quite this way. But it makes sense to me as I meditate on it this morning. There are several people I love who don't know Jesus, and I have often wondered what it would take for them to seek Him. Perhaps experiencing God's terrifying pursuit of their hearts would bring them to a place of prostrate contrition. It is the safest place in the world, I have found. Face down. Seeking Him. Covered in the shame of our own ridiculous hubris and the consequences of our haughty life choices. Knowing we are helpless before the hurricane--whirling dust signifying nothing. Consumed with our burning desires, yet left by them to be a heap of ashes. There is no phoenix flying high out of our misery. There is only God Who takes the ash heap and breathes His new birth into it. What I know is: That miracle is worth the shame preceding it.
Shame. A painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming or impropriety. It is a necessary component of repentance. Acknowledgment of guilt. Knowing we fall short. It can become the motivation for all kinds of sin, though. In fact, I think it is the root of addiction, and Satan uses it to keep us from God. Remember Adam and Eve after their disobedience. They knew they were naked and were ashamed. That shame made them hide from God. How could they let Him see them vulnerable? The very thing that should've driven them to God's feet in repentance made them hide instead. But God pursued them. Drew them out. Addressed their need.
The parable of the publican and the sinner from Luke 18 twists the paradigm. It is the religious zealot who should be ashamed and not the tax collector who knows his need. Brought to his knees by the knowledge that without God he is nothing, the IRS agent went home clean. Covered in pride, arms lifted and phylactery in place, the religious leader is brought to his feet by the knowledge that God is nothing without him. He has no shame. No real knowledge that he is capable of anything evil without Christ. Doing good, good, good because...well...because it makes him oh, so, right. Not recognizing, as Jesus did, that at the core of pride in our humility is an ash heap...or dead men's bones. When looking at a sinner makes us feel better about ourselves, we are pretty messed up.
It was shame that brought the woman taken in adultery to the feet of Jesus, the Samaritan woman to faith in Christ, the lepers to cry out for mercy, the thief on the cross to repentance. Jesus running after us to finally catch us from behind, breathless, and fall on top of us as He takes us down. Like a mother running after a child, tackling her before the oncoming train can run her child over. Mad at Mommy at first because the fall hurt. Then the train whistles by and she knows she's been saved.
So Lord send the hurricane, the fire or the flood and chase us down. All of us. For those lost in self-righteousness or tangled in sin. We all need to bring our shame before You so that we can seek Your face. Then leave it there. Where it belongs. Covered in Your blood so we can live clean and forgiven, thankful that we are no longer either self-righteous or oppressed but safely harbored in the family of God, our Father.
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt. "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus...Luke 18
I don't believe I've ever prayed for someone in quite this way. But it makes sense to me as I meditate on it this morning. There are several people I love who don't know Jesus, and I have often wondered what it would take for them to seek Him. Perhaps experiencing God's terrifying pursuit of their hearts would bring them to a place of prostrate contrition. It is the safest place in the world, I have found. Face down. Seeking Him. Covered in the shame of our own ridiculous hubris and the consequences of our haughty life choices. Knowing we are helpless before the hurricane--whirling dust signifying nothing. Consumed with our burning desires, yet left by them to be a heap of ashes. There is no phoenix flying high out of our misery. There is only God Who takes the ash heap and breathes His new birth into it. What I know is: That miracle is worth the shame preceding it.
Shame. A painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming or impropriety. It is a necessary component of repentance. Acknowledgment of guilt. Knowing we fall short. It can become the motivation for all kinds of sin, though. In fact, I think it is the root of addiction, and Satan uses it to keep us from God. Remember Adam and Eve after their disobedience. They knew they were naked and were ashamed. That shame made them hide from God. How could they let Him see them vulnerable? The very thing that should've driven them to God's feet in repentance made them hide instead. But God pursued them. Drew them out. Addressed their need.
The parable of the publican and the sinner from Luke 18 twists the paradigm. It is the religious zealot who should be ashamed and not the tax collector who knows his need. Brought to his knees by the knowledge that without God he is nothing, the IRS agent went home clean. Covered in pride, arms lifted and phylactery in place, the religious leader is brought to his feet by the knowledge that God is nothing without him. He has no shame. No real knowledge that he is capable of anything evil without Christ. Doing good, good, good because...well...because it makes him oh, so, right. Not recognizing, as Jesus did, that at the core of pride in our humility is an ash heap...or dead men's bones. When looking at a sinner makes us feel better about ourselves, we are pretty messed up.
It was shame that brought the woman taken in adultery to the feet of Jesus, the Samaritan woman to faith in Christ, the lepers to cry out for mercy, the thief on the cross to repentance. Jesus running after us to finally catch us from behind, breathless, and fall on top of us as He takes us down. Like a mother running after a child, tackling her before the oncoming train can run her child over. Mad at Mommy at first because the fall hurt. Then the train whistles by and she knows she's been saved.
So Lord send the hurricane, the fire or the flood and chase us down. All of us. For those lost in self-righteousness or tangled in sin. We all need to bring our shame before You so that we can seek Your face. Then leave it there. Where it belongs. Covered in Your blood so we can live clean and forgiven, thankful that we are no longer either self-righteous or oppressed but safely harbored in the family of God, our Father.
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