"Just then, while everyone was weeping in penitence at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, an Israelite man, flaunting his behavior in front of Moses and the whole assembly, paraded a Midianite woman into his family tent.
Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw what he was doing, grabbed his spear, and followed them into the tent. With one thrust he drove the spear through the two of them, the man of Israel and the woman, right through their private parts." (25:6-9)
Arrogance - it isn't one of the fruits from God.
"Paraded" right into his family tent.
Wow!
So easy to point a finger at him. Never have I "paraded" right in front of God - sashaying along - going about "my" way.
Oh, but I have.
Times too numerous to count.
How blessed and thankful I am that He covered me with forgiveness, grace, mercy, instead of a spear through my private parts.
Which is what I use when I sin.
My private parts.
The parts I think I am keeping private from Him. The places marked "private" in my life. Private areas that I go into and hang the "STOP Private Property" sign right in His face. Places that I do not invite Him in to live, share my life with.
He is continually weeding those private parts out of my life though. More and more I find myself flinging open the doors and desiring Him to come in, clean, organize the mess I have made. To transform those areas into a shared place In Him.
When reading the verses from today, I began to think about the difference between a vessel and a tool.
Arrogance - it isn't one of the fruits from God.
"Paraded" right into his family tent.
Wow!
So easy to point a finger at him. Never have I "paraded" right in front of God - sashaying along - going about "my" way.
Oh, but I have.
Times too numerous to count.
How blessed and thankful I am that He covered me with forgiveness, grace, mercy, instead of a spear through my private parts.
Which is what I use when I sin.
My private parts.
He is continually weeding those private parts out of my life though. More and more I find myself flinging open the doors and desiring Him to come in, clean, organize the mess I have made. To transform those areas into a shared place In Him.
When reading the verses from today, I began to think about the difference between a vessel and a tool.
A vessel is used to contain or transport.
A tool is controlled and manipulated.
This man and woman in the verses, they were tools for satan.
They were allowing themselves to be manipulated, trying to destroy as they were "paraded".
How differently it could have been if they had chosen to be vessels for Him.
How differently our lives go when we choose to be His vessel and live life without any private areas.
How differently our lives go when we choose to be His vessel and live life without any private areas.
When we have chosen to be a vessel for Him, He fills each of His with what is needed for this spiritual battle.
He always prepares us.
Always.
He always prepares us.
Always.
It is only through Him we stop allowing ourselves to be a tool of destruction, manipulation for evil. Through Him we find, more often than not, we begin to desire not to allow ourselves to be a tool on "parade" because the things of this world become distasteful. We welcome Him in to fill every nook and cranny of our being.
As His vessel, it should cause fear inside our hearts knowing those outside of Christ in their arrogance have not repented of sin nor are they sorrowful. They are continually put themselves above God - continuing to be tools for satan. They are lost.
It should cause fear inside of our hearts for those God will have own their behavior and they will be punished.
Straight and to the point - right in their private parts.
It is for those who are lost that we must show the way to Salvation. All the while praying in urgency for them to become His vessel.
For it is only because of Grace we "in" Him are no longer a tool for satan and are called His Vessel.
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