Shape Without Substance is Insufficient

“They return, [but] not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.” (Ho 7:16 AV)

Growing up, our family was poor.  Not destitute, but poor.  This forced us to be creative and opportunistic.  Many things we had were never brand new.  They were often someone else’s cast offs.  We would find ourselves on the tailgate of my father’s truck going through people’s garbage at the side of the street collecting newspaper and glass.  That was back in the day when recycling was a business rather than the law.  There were many a time when in the process of gathering our recyclables, there was a treasure or two to be had.  One such treasure was a re-curve bow.  My brother Christ found it at the side of the curb and brought it home.

This re-curve was in rough shape.  However, being the re-purposing and restoration armatures we were, Chris glued the frayed wood and painted it camouflage.  I believe it was a 45-pound draw weight bow.  When he went into the army, he bequeathed this bow to me and I treasured it.  I added a sight, an anchor knob, and even upgraded the arrow rest.  It was now my hunting bow.  As bows go, every time I shot the bow, it returned exactly to the form it was before I pulled it back.  It never reshaped itself.  Right back to the original shape it had always been.

But there was a problem with that bow.  It was an internal problem.  One that would not easily be seen by passing glance.  One would have to inspect the bow rather closely.  He would have to look very carefully at the wood grain.  He would have to inspect, sometimes with the aid of a magnifier, for any and all stress marks.  On the outside, it returned to its original form.  But it was a deceitful bow.  What it was on the outside was not what it was on the inside.  Like its previous owner, we came to a point that it was unsafe to shoot.  Even if it could retain its original form, it could never be used for the purpose for which it was created.  It had lost its internal integrity.

Revival is not merely outward.  It must go all the way to the core.  Returning to godly behavior while not returning to God Himself is insufficient.  It may be practically wise, but it is deceitful.  God wants all of us.  Not merely our actions, but our heart.  All of us.