“I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich—and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear and anoint your eyes with eye-salve that you may see.”
Revelation 3:18
When you finally see Him face-to-Face, what will you have to lay at His feet?
Crumbs.
Crumbs from a rich man’s table. So often that’s what we offer to Him, the King of kings. And, somehow we think He’ll be pleased with such mediocre offerings.
But, He’s not.
He wasn’t when Cain offered “the fruit of the ground” (Gen. 4:3-5). He wasn’t when the Laodicean church offered Him halfhearted, lukewarm service. And, He’s still not today when we offer Him the leftovers of our lives—forgetting that doing so is not only offensive to Him, but also makes Him sick to His stomach (Rev. 3:16).
Oh how great the “deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:7-13)!
“Why, there’s nothing wrong with me!” one cries, as he drops a couple of dollars into the offering plate.
“I visit the nursing home every now-and-then. I make sure I visit the homeless shelter at Christmastime and take a few presents down to the orphanage. I even help out when there’s a special event at church from time-to-time. I’m not so bad.”
Is that so?
Take a minute and read vv.14-17 preceding today’s Manna and see how the Lord views such an attitude. Again, sin is deceitful and leads to “an evil heart of unbelief, a hardened heart and ears that no longer hear His Voice.” And, it also creates a delusional, darkened, reprobate mind within the sinner (Rom. 1:18-32), causing him/her to say “Hey, I’m rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17a)—both materially and spiritually; yet, God is not impressed and says “Not hardly; you’re wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked and in need of repentance!” (v.17b).
Tough words, aren’t they, Pilgrim?
Assuredly so. But, never forget that God’s Word is always “sharper than a two-edged sword and always lays bare the secret intents and motives of our hearts” (Heb. 4:12). He doesn’t do this to destroy us; He does it to discipline and disciple us “because He loves us” (Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:5-11).
Say those words aloud: “All because He loves us.” He longs to bring us to the place of surrender where we willingly serve Him out of delight, not drudgery (Heb. 12:9). He wants us to be a “partaker of His Holiness” (Heb. 12:10), whose lives are filled with His “peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:11).
That’s why it’s imperative that we submit to the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying scrutiny (Ps. 139:23-24) and make the changes necessary to become “vessels fit for His use” (II Tim. 2:21; Eph. 2:10). Are you “seeking Him first” (Mt. 6:33) and giving Him your best?
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated October 27, 2010
