Meeting with God

8.25.2010

2 John 9 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. ESV

It is not hard for me to see the parallels between modern America and ancient Israel at the time of the fall of Jerusalem. In both nations, God was/is abandoned. The government abandoned God; the culture abandoned God. And in modern America we, just like ancient Israel, are trying desperately to find salvation in our government policies, our economy; in leisure and ease, and in just about everything but God. And it ain’t workin’…

When Jerusalem fell in 586 BC, God told His people that if they wanted to save their lives, they were to surrender to the Babylonians. That’s like telling rednecks in Texas to surrender to the Iranians. That’s like telling Tea Party conservatives to become liberals. Always, we have to make the decision to go to where God is regardless of what it seems we have to go through to get to Him. God was with the Babylonians – not in spirit nor in principle, but in divine discipline. And wherever there’s divine discipline, there’s foremost divine love and life. But God, they’re the horrid Babylonians! Yes, I know; jump in, the water’s fine!

God is seeking me to meet Him in all of my circumstances regardless of where they are or how I feel about them. If I’m willing to abide where He is, I will live with Him and His Son – that’s the bottom line. I think that is kind of what John was saying to the elect lady and her children. According to Jeremiah, the people who met God by surrendering to the Babylonians lived – the one’s who fled died.

Father God,

You show up in the strangest places. You show up where I don’t want to go and among people I do not like – and from there You bid me to come and join You. Help me God not to be intolerant but to go wherever You are and find You maybe even among those with whom I am loathe to associate. I will not limit Your boundaries and I will surrender to Who and Where You are – in Jesus’ Name, amen.