Five Invitations: Day 4

Day 4 - The Great Physician
Psalm 139:23-24 

Isaiah melts to the floor when he sees God’s glory.

Who in their right mind would accept God's invitation to worship if it's just going to melt you?

But God steps in to help (see verses six and seven). God doesn’t leave Isaiah in a puddle on the floor. Isaiah’s honesty signals God to come closer.

Notice what God does not do. God does NOT comfort him by minimizing Isaiah’s sin. God doesn’t say, “Isaiah, you’re too hard on yourself.” God does NOT smash the prophet. God doesn’t say, “Darn right, you’re impure!” Instead we see that perfect balance of justice and mercy unique to God. God acknowledges Isaiah’s confession of sin but God also moves in to help him out. “You’re impure, I’ll make you pure.”

God heals Isaiah. God saves him. God changes him. Isaiah’s honest repentance makes room for God to transform him.

Honesty that makes us feel bad doesn’t look attractive. But we can’t be healed if we’re not honest about what’s wrong. Think about getting treated when you’re sick. You know something’s wrong, you don’t know what. You see the doctor, she gives you a diagnosis. You hate the diagnosis, but then feel better because at least you know what you’re dealing with. Then you get treatment which starts the healing process.

We need spiritual healing, spiritual growth, wholeness  - holiness. Jesus embodies our goal, the very picture of spiritual health. We never get better lying to ourselves. Worship needs to make us honest. If our worship isn’t making us more honest with ourselves, then something’s wrong with either the content of our worship or how we’re approaching worship. Seeing the truth about ourselves is one of God’s greatest gifts of grace. We’re on the way to spiritual health whenever we pray these words of Psalm 139: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

REFLECT:
Where in yourself do you see spiritual health right now?
Where in yourself do you need more spiritual health?

PRAY:
O Great Physician, heal your wounded child. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.