Recently I have pondered on the transparency of the bible. I have pondered on how ugly is the truth of the bible. How honestly laid out are its events throughout its pages. The events surrounding the great women and men of God in the bible are not always perfect life stories that are filled with glory throughout their lives. Most of them made mistakes. Most of them were there with sometimes a degree of wickedness, failures and evil.
As an example, Abraham believed that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars according to the Word of the Lord had this credited as his righteousness. However later on we read that he heeded Sarai’s words and conceived with Hagai. To me this is a failure to wait on God. Is it not? The moment of God is perfect; the moment that we fail to wait to my understanding is simply a lack of faith. Now this writing is not to condemn Abram but to highlight the imperfection of the man who has received God’s favour as a father of all nations. Though his faith pleased the Lord, his faith was at times imperfect.
David was also a great and famous character of the bible. Famously known in his victory against Goliath and how he believed in the Word of the Lord more than anyone around him when he encounters his enemies (read 1 Samuel 18 onwards). This man was a man that chases after God’s own heart. This man was a role model for many Christians I know. But his failures with his walk were to a degree that is normally questionable. He was a murderous adulterer in the case of Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite. Where was the glory in that? But God’s love moves beyond the sin of men as long as these men are willing to repent.
“For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.”
[1 Kings 15:5]
Now there are countless and numerous stories of the bible that reflected these men and women of God in their moments of failures and weaknesses. For instance, Joseph was a proud man, Peter disowned Jesus, Joshua was a coward and things such as the disciples falling asleep moments before Jesus was arrested and brought to trial. These things were not to be proud of and shall be hidden in my dictionary to display the gallery of greatness.
Illustratively, we would not display a great piece of art which is costly in price but has bits and pieces of cracks in it. Although expensive in price, to us they cannot reflect beauty as it has already been scarred and is impossible to restore.
For the girls, put it simply, a beautiful gown is beautiful if it retains its original condition. But as it grows older and is worn out with loose thread and holes, we cannot most of the time continue to patch the missing parts. It will look deformed and ugly. It is not the perfect dress that we love anymore. Those areas that have stains we will attempt to cover with something else 99% of the time in an effort to magnify its beauty?
Yet why has the Lord included these blots of transgressions, these ugly pieces of mistakes into His artful display of greatness?
One thing I can relate to is that His love is unfailing in our lives. That we do not need to always have it together in every moment of our lives to be able to be used by Him.
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.’
[1 Corinthians 1:26-30]
These mistakes were included and told of in the bible purposefully for the glory of the Lord. These mistakes were shown to others in a sole purpose of perfecting His masterpiece.
These cracks and stains were not things to be hidden in the eyes of God but instead they are jewels in perfecting the glory of the Lord in the lives of these men and women of God.
So what are the things have you chosen to hide before the eyes of men when u became a church-goer? Are they ugly enough that it may glorify the Lord even more now that you have repented of your past? I am walking in honesty before the world and before Him. The past that I had was ugly enough and yet if it were to glorify the name of Jesus in my life I would offer it unto Him as a pleasing sacrifice. A sacrifice that lies in the lips of men to talk and judge of but a personal testimony to this world of how God can change my life, my ways and my heart. I live for the Lord and die to the Lord, whether it was by word of mouth or deeds I am only here to glorify His holy Name.
Our past mistakes and failures in life can provide a unique restored beauty in life, a message of hope to others in times of trouble and distress. The delivering hands of the Lord from our past is a testimony that we have tasted the authentic goodness of God’s love in our lives and further advances His glory within us.
“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
[2 Corinthians 3:2-3]
Therefore do not be ashamed nor hide your past in the eyes of men, they are like beautiful pearls that were formed through the dusts of our past.
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. “
[Romans 15:4-6]
I urge you as servants of God to place our confidence in the Lord, not staggering in faith by the wind of accusations but remain firm in our faith as we live to the Audience of One!
“I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord WHO judges me.”
[1 Corinthians 4:3-4]
“3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun...23 The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. 39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”
[Psalm 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40]
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
[Romans 15:13]
Written by,
Amanda Setiadi on October 24th, 2011.
