Have you ever had one of those days when everything is out of sync? The alarm didn’t go off at the appointed time, the adrenaline pumps through your veins and in your hurry things get out of order. Your routine is all messed up. On those days, the possibility of forgetting something is very likely. Maybe you forget to brush your teeth – not a problem, use a breath mint! Maybe you forget to put on all your make up or shave – not a problem, pinch your cheeks for color and unshaven faces are the new “GQ”. Well, I forgot my deodorant! The realization came to me just as I was getting into the car. Now I have to decide, is it worth the risk? I can be careful of proximity to people, never get too close. I can even make sure I stay calm and collected but as a choir director, I can’t avoid raising my arms! Of course, that would be the day I dressed in clothes that would have to be completely removed to correct the error but a day without deodorant is like a day not fully clothed. What to do???
As I was sitting there contemplating my options, the scripture came to mind about the man who looks in the mirror and then walks away forgetting what he looks like. It somewhat implies a lack of caring about his appearance. James 1:22-24 NIV “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”
Listening to the Word and God’s instruction alone is insufficient to being fully “clothed”. You have to do what it says, apply the Word to your identity, actions and thinking. How many times have I told a half-truth and left it uncorrected? When was the last time I saw the sting of my words in someone’s eyes and failed to apologize? How often have I resisted an impulse or ignored what I was sure was God leading me to say or do something for someone? How many times have I believed an untruth of who I am in Christ or an accusation from the enemy of my soul rest uncorrected in my spirit? Are these not “listening to the word but not doing it?” The deceit comes when we think knowing or thinking we know what the Bible says is all it takes to count for righteousness (right doing).
James 1:16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.”
I wish I could say I went back in the house and added deodorant to my “clothing” that day but I honestly don’t remember. I do remember that feeling of inadequacy and doubt that follows you around when you know things aren’t completely right. We have a God-designed purpose, “a plan for good and not disaster, to give us a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. To allow anything to stand in the way of our doing or believing or agreeing with what the Word says about us is forgetting who we are IN CHRIST, his prized possession, with or without deodorant!
We’ve heard it said a myriad of times “If I’d only known then what I know now…” We usually think we would have done things differently if we had had that hindsight knowledge. Maybe we would have been wiser or more cautious. Maybe we would have been more courageous and gone after that dream or taken the other job or, or, or. But if we had had that hindsight knowledge, we wouldn’t have had the same outcome to our lives. We wouldn’t be the same people we are today.
Our whole life would be completely different!
God knows all and sees all - beginning to end. He knows the outcome before it
begins. Even with that knowledge, He allows things to take their course.
God knew that
… in the garden where all was perfect – Adam and Eve would sin - Genesis 3
… at the Passover dinner when He saved them from the death angel (Exodus 12:28-30)
… to take them the long way to the Promised Land around the Philistine territory because if they faced battle they might change their minds (Exodus 13:17-18)
… even though He led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:22) - they would not trust (Deuteronomy 1: 31-33)
… even though He rescued them from Pharoah’s army walking them across the Red Sea on dry land (Exodus 14) - they would accuse Him of trying to kill them ( Exodus 14:10 - 12)
… as they sang a song of deliverance (Exodus 15) - they would not be satisfied (Exodus 16:1-2; Exodus 14:11; 16:3; Numbers 11:1)
… when He gave them instructions for a good life in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18) - they would be impatient and take things in their own hands replacing Him with their own god. (Exodus 32:1-8)
… when they became hungry for the foods of Egypt, giving them manna that rained down with the dew during the night and tasted like pastries baked in olive oil - they would complain and beg for meat. (Numbers 11:1-4)
… when He answered their cry for meat by sending a wind from the sea that brought more quail than they could eat - they would become gluttons (Numbers 11:31-32)
… after He showed them the wonders of the Promised Land - they would fear for their lives and plotted against Moses (Numbers 13:25-33)
But it wasn’t just the Israelites that disappointed God.
… at the Passover dinner with Jesus and the disciples – He knew Judas would betray and Peter would deny Jesus (John 13:18-38)
He still chose all these people to accomplish His plan and desires. He forgave their failings and restored them to His place of favor. Sometimes because they repented (Peter - Mark 14:72) and sometimes because someone was willing to stand up for them (Moses - Numbers 14:10)
There are many things God knows about us and the ways we will fail Him but He chooses to love us with unfailing love (Psalm 63:3). He promises to never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). He calls us His treasure (Psalm 135:4), His masterpiece or handiwork created to do the good works He has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). We are always on His mind (Psalm 139:17 TPT)
God knows who we are - the good, bad and unacceptable parts of us - He knows our destiny and has chosen us to follow Him willingly to do what He knows we are designed to do.He calls us to follow Him knowing we will stumble, but He also knows our successes.
From the very beginning to the end (Isaiah 46:10), He Knew! Search me, oh God, and know my heart! Psalm 139:23
"Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do
what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with
God." MSG Romans 2:12-13
You may be too young to remember Fibber McGee and Molly. So am I! I learned of this radio show turned TV show from my mother. There were days as I grew up that Mom would open our hall linen closet and say, "It's Fibber McGee's closet!" Finally one day I asked who Fibber McGee was. She laughed and told me the story of the running gag on one of her childhood favorites radio show, Fibber McGee & Molly. Everyone dreaded the hall closet on that show and every time it was opened there would be an avalanche of stuff come tumbling out! Fibber's response was usually, "I'll have to clean out that closet one of these days!"
Now I'm grown with my own hall closet and sure enough, it periodically becomes "Fibber McGee's" closet! How does that happen? The worst thing is the Fibber McGee syndrome spreads to other
closets in the house! It is HIGHLY contagious! I even hear myself saying "I'll have to clean out that
closet one of these days!" and then shut the door and walk away! The truth is when you finally get
around to cleaning those closets, it is a HUGE job. It requires more time and more space to sort and
manage than the space of the closet itself.
A couple of weeks ago, I tackled my walk-in bedroom closet that was no longer "walk-in-able"! As I moved the items to my bedroom for sorting it became very clear I had waited WAY too long for this job! Just look at the mess I made of my room! Can you believe all that stuff fit in a 4'X8' closet? My son even commented "What's Dad going to say?"
It took ALL day to accomplish the 'ridding out process but when I was finished, what a deep, refreshing breath I was able to take! Everything in my life seemed clear and manageable again! It was like a new lease on life!
How many times had I looked in that closet and said "I really should do something about this!" I had
crammed clothes in so tightly they were wrinkled when I took them out requiring more time to get ready to go somewhere. The shelves had NO room because the things once thought too important to trash had taken every inch of space. I was stepping on shoes that had no place on the shoe rack. Let's not even talk about the dust! It was disgraceful!
James 1:22-25 speaks of seeing things that need attention but are ignored.James1:22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror, (or looking in your closet). You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. NLT
Matthew Henry comments on this passage saying: "If we heard a sermon every day of the week, and
an angel from heaven were the preacher, yet, if we rested in hearing only, it would never bring us to heaven. Mere hearers are self-deceivers; and self-deceit will be found the worst deceit at last. If we flatter ourselves, it is our own fault; the truth, as it is in Jesus, flatters no man. Let the word of truth be carefully attended to, and it will set before us the corruption of our nature, the disorders of our hearts and lives; and it will tell us plainly what we are. Our sins are the spots the law discovers: Christ's blood is the laver (a ceremonial basin for washing) the gospel shows. But in vain do we hear God's word, and look into the gospel glass, if we go away, and forget our spots, instead of washing them off; and forget our remedy, instead of applying to it. This is the case with those who do not hear the word as they ought. In hearing the word, we look into it for counsel and direction, and when we study it, it turns to our spiritual life. Those who keep in the law and word of God, are, and shall be, blessed in all their ways. His gracious recompense (payment for) hereafter, would be connected with his present peace and comfort. Every part of Divine revelation has its use, in bringing the sinner to Christ for salvation, and in directing and encouraging him to walk at liberty, by the Spirit of adoption, according to the holy commands of God.
And mark the distinctness, it is not for his deeds, that any man is blessed, but in his deed. It is not talking, but walking, that will bring us to heaven. Christ will become more precious to the believer's soul, which by his grace will become more fitted for the inheritance of the saints in light."
In other words, cleaning out your spiritual "Fibber McGee's closets" brings peace and liberty to your
soul! It's not that anything in my closet was 'sinful' or disgusting, it's just that the closet was neglected
and dysfunctional! I know in my heart allowing things to crowd into my life, to take up space and rob
me of energy is dangerous. Life requires focus and clarity to maintain my walk with Christ. Clutter
trips me up and can cause me to stumble if neglected. I just allow myself the excuse, "I don't have
time right now". However, I need to be more diligent to keep the "stuff" of life manageable and sorted
as I go instead of letting it all pile up.
Do I think I have all my "Fibber McGee's closets" conquered? Of course not! Even the apostle Paul knew that is impossible! He wrote in Romans 2:17-24 "But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. 21 It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. 24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? " MSG The good news is Paul didn't leave us hopeless! He gave us help in verse 25, "The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different." MSG
I want to be sure to keep my spiritual closets clean, organized, functional and pleasing to the Lord!
Lord, help me be righteous before God by being not only a hearer of the word, but a doer through
Christ who gives me strength. "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13
