"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." (Jeremiah 13:23)
Wow! Talk about God speaking directly to my need! I had something completely different lined up to discuss today; however, God had a different plan (as He frequently does).
Last night I received a text message from someone with whom I used to be friends. Not really bosom buddies, but more than acquaintances. I haven't heard from this man for over two years - and our last encounter was confrontational and threatening coming from him. Being the good Christian I am (not to mention being an ordained minister), I lashed out in anger towards him - assuming he was coming after me again. I was quite blunt with him, reminding him of the last message he delivered to me on behalf of my former brothers in Christ. It was ugly.
This morning (after a fitful night of "sleep?"), I texted him again, apologizing for my immediate reaction to his text. To be fair, I am sorry for attacking him last night by text; however, by that I know I have grown spiritually. Years ago I would have driven to his house and attacked him physically. (Sorry, but today seems to be confession day.) His response was understandably guarded, knowing who I used to be, but it seems to have opened the door for some level of restoration and healing.
While contemplating this whole situation I opened my podcast app to listen to my Bible in a Year program for today (read and commentated by a Catholic priest) and today's passage was entitled "The Cycle of Violence." Hmmmm. God is trying to get my attention. I was reminded of my Army training in psychological warfare and behavior modification, where we learned to reward positive behavior but crush bad behavior by whatever means and force was available. God was revealing to me the level of my depravity and sinfulness by showing me my heart.
In our text today, God is showing us our humanness and inability to change by our own strength. He has listed their sins just before this and is now exposing just how helpless and hopeless it is to "fix" ourselves. An Ethiopian cannot change the color of his own skin any more than a leopard can change his spots. In other words, if I choose to use my own willpower and strength to try to change, I will only get more of what I am. I need help.
Along comes Jesus, Who laid aside His glory and God-nature to become just like me. He endured the wounds of a friend, He endured false accusations, He endured suffering at the hands of those who claimed to love what He loved. In fact, He shouldered so much of this burden He died as a result of my sin. But because of the Spirit of God within Him, He was able to shed that burden, leave it behind in the grave, and raise to newness of life - a life of supernatural purity and holiness, a life of absolute victory, a life free from the confines of the human nature with which I struggle.
Today God is calling me to follow Christ into the grave, die to myself, leave behind all that was me before, and walk out the backside of the grave in complete wholeness and victory. It's not going to be easy. I've been there before, but, like Paul, I must learn to do this daily in order to live a life of power and authority, a life of godliness and purity, an eternal life, a supernatural life. I invite you to come along with me on this journey. Maybe there's something He is speaking to you about today. It isn't easy. Our flesh rebels at the very thought of dying to itself, yet no flesh will enter heaven in its present state. Jesus has shown us it is possible and it is necessary. Come.
Be blessed.
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