"The Crevice"

"If he turn not, He will whet His sword; He hath bent His bow, and made it ready." (Psalms 7:12) What? You can not hide from God! Although, many there be that think God cannot find them, nor even cares where they hide. However; He does not even need to search for us, because we shall all end up in His presence! Yet, His mercy endures for ever!!! To some, this verse might seem to be a picture of a vengeful God; one who is just waiting to pronounce judgement upon those that are wicked; but this is not so. First of all: God is patient towards us; yet, He is ready to judge those that do not turn towards Him. That is the key! That we turn towards Him!!! There are two different instruments of warfare mentioned in this verse, the sword and the bow; one is used for close combat, the other for distance. Think about this for a moment, and try to imagine how different these two instruments are used; one is used for face to face combat; while the other is used for distant and less personal conquest. Okay; you might need some further illustration to help you see this in a different light. The main point that is being made has to do with those that "turn not"; in other words, they choose not to turn from their wicked ways. In this, there are two ways by which they can continue: they can continue to hide, or they can try and run. If they continue to hide, He will sharpen His sword; which if you can, imagine the sound of it being sharpened as you try and hide yourself from His sight. But, if they choose to run, then He has readied His bow: it is already bent and ready to strike! The point being, that there is no way around us facing His judgement, unless we turn completely from our wicked ways! Okay; you still need some help? How about this: we do not get the pleasure of picking the terms of our surrender!!! I know that we sometimes wish that there was a pause button on our life of redemption; as if we could take a break from being fashioned in His likeness, just long enough to wet our whistle at the bar of sin; but this is not what true repentance is all about. There is no watered down version of holiness; although, that is what we are looking for, and that which we want to hear. Do you know what I am talking about? Well then, here is an example: the sermon for today is Holiness, so you prepare your heart to be changed; and yet, you go away relieved to hear, that you are still just a sinner, who has been saved by grace. But you see, there is another reason for those who died in the wilderness, choosing not to look upon that Brazen Serpent which Moses lifted up: they were willing to take their chances with death, rather than to receive a complete healing and to be changed!!! Why were they dying in the first place? Was it not from having a rebellious heart? The object that they needed to look upon was for them to surrender; which meant that they needed to humble themselves enough to but gaze upon it; yet, their rebellious heart would not allow it, because in so doing, they must have been willing to turn from their rebellion, and to turn towards God. Maybe we can't see yet what we must turn to? And then again, maybe we can; yet, we turn not, because we know what that requires...