“Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an
olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four
or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of
Israel. At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have
respect to the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa
17:6-7 AV)
There are times when the
LORD takes away that which He gave so that we will return to Him. This is the context of the above
passage. Israel had experienced the
blessings of God because they finally trusted Him. They took to heart the law of God and served
Him faithfully during the reign of Saul, David, and Solomon. Even following the split of the kingdom,
there were times Judah followed the LORD with their whole heart. Yet, over time, they descended into the wickedness
of their neighbors. In doing so, the
LORD was moved to chasten them. This finally
ended in their loss of the kingdom and captivity to Babylon. Yet, God left them a small remnant in the land
of Palestine to care for the land. This small
remnant turned their heart back to the LORD and this is to what Isaiah is
referring. Sometimes, the LORD has to
remove all those things that were a result of obedience because in that
prosperity, our hearts have strayed from God.
This is sometimes painful. But definitely
necessary.
As I get older, I have
realized those things in life I once thought to be important are not as important
as I thought they were. Life is becoming
simpler. When you are young, have the
energy, and the desire for greater things, priorities can often conflict. As one ages, he discovers the simple things
of life are far more precious than all those other things he has piled up and
surrounded his life with. A simple
stroll in the park with good Christian music playing in the ears is more
pleasurable than a day at an amusement park being entertained more than we can
stand. A fresh salad with a clear glass
of water is more delightful than a five-course meal. And, simple Bible study with a season of
prayer is greater than a two-week revival filled with business and lack of
sleep. We have lost the simple pleasure
of the presence of God because we have too much. We do not read our Bibles and pray because we
are too busy caring for the estate that has come by obedience to God’s command to
work. We spend little to no time in
prayer because we are too busy with the kids or grandkids. We begin the slippery slope of backsliding because
we are overwhelmed with the demands of our career. When in good health, we enjoy the ability to venture
into the outdoors, experiencing the hand of God in creation, all the while
ignoring the God who created it all.
There are times when the
LORD has to take it all away. When He moves
all your children and grandchildren more than a day’s travel away because He
wants you to walk with Him. He may take away
that homestead because we need to spend the time in His word rather than the
endless hours caring for our castle.
Sometimes, the LORD takes away our good health so that we will sit or lay
long enough to hear the still small voice of God which we have forgotten a long
time ago. This may be uncomfortable, but
it is necessary. In the end, it is
precious.
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