The Devotional - A Look at the Book #850

by Jesse Abel

 

A Word from Papa “J”

 

You know how those genealogies in the Holy Bible always seem like a hump to climb over! I noticed this as I read Matthew 1:1-25; that if you are familiar with the history of the O.T. you will be reminded that God works through all good and evil circumstances of life. Those historical names remind us of the events of those He worked with; yet in every expression of faith, God responded with grace.

 

Good Morning

 

“If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, I say; if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands. Yes! if you’re happy and you know it and you’re not afraid to show it, clap your hands”. “CLAP-CLAP” Now did you clap your hands?

 

There is another song in our hymnals that reads like this; “if My people’s hearts are humbled, If they pray and seek My face; if they turn away from evil, I will not withhold my grace. I will hear their prayers from heaven; I will pardon every sin. If my people’s hearts are humbled, I will surely heal their land”.

 

Have you not read the prophets of the land of Israel? Their burdens, their lamentations and their tears as God pointed out to them the sin and evil of that nation Israel whom God loves. Men like, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and all the others. Let’s talk a moment about their tears.

 

I mean really, we are so far removed from those tears of theirs. These tears are dried up, having disappeared in time, isn’t that so? Well not exactly; for example when the Philistines captured David in Gath, he later penned these words in Psalm 56:8 “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?” The tears of personal and national sin! Yes these are stored up “bottled and recorded in the book”.

 

The season ahead for this nation may bring tears for many people, in fact; like you I can watch what should be a simple commercial and be brought to tears at the decadence of our nation as it slides into the abyss of evil. And truly there is not one day in the past year that tears have not flowed from my eyes because of our national and personal sin. “If you are happy and you know it; clap your hands”.

 

These Old Testament saints are examples and admonition of what we should be in the future (1 Corinthians 10:11) and let me add this: if you are not praying and weeping over our national short fall (NOT THE FISCAL CLIFF) then we have forgotten that God’s justice on a disobedient nation will happen.

 

If the Jew has no advantage or profit in doing evil, what makes any of us gentiles think that we should escape the judgment of God? Romans 3:1-31. Ah yes, there is personal application in this chapter, so if you do your part personally; nationally God will do His part and if not; God will still do His part.

 

In all of this; “If you’re happy and you know it… “Clap your hands”! I just clapped mine. As bad as it is, God is ON THE THRONE and His grace will prevail. The second stanza of that other hymn “Then My eyes will see their SORROW, then My ears will hear their plea. If My people’s hearts are humbled I will set their nation free. If My people’s hearts are humbled, if the pray and seek My face; If they turn away from evil, I will not withhold My grace”.