REND YOUR HEARTS
“Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.”
Joel 2:13

While celebrating Yom Kippur just days ago, I found myself unable to take the day off as designated in the book of Leviticus. It is in this time that one is supposed to spend the day in prayer and in the Word. So from my desk at work, I turned on my ipod containing the spoken Bible. I felt led of God to begin with Hosea and listen to the spoken words of the minor prophets as the day passed. As the day went on, my attention would be caught by certain passages that stood out, or familiar verses I had heard before, but never quite knew where they were. Then, as I began to listen to the book of Joel, it seemed as though the whole of chapter 2 was beckoning for my full attention. Putting work to the side, I followed along and my eyes landed on Joel 2:13. “Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.”
In Psalm 51:16-17, David records that the LORD does not delight in sacrifices, but rather desires a broken and contrite heart. Here, years later, Joel is alluding to the same concept. Joel is stating that God is not looking for our garments to be rendered, as was part of the custom in times of mourning, but instead He is looking for our hearts to be rendered. But what does it mean to ‘rend’? In the Hebrew, the term ‘rend’ is QARA, meaning to tear in pieces, rip out or rip open, or cut away. In this time of confession, Joel was saying to tear the heart as opposed to the clothes. Tearing the garments would be in vain, but tearing the heart open to expose the sin inside was what was truly desired by God, because it allowed Him access in to do away with the sin. God desired to show His grace, compassion, slowness to anger, and His love because in these ways He wanted to save the person from disaster.
But here is another point found in Joel 2:13. The prophet spoke to, “Return to the LORD your God…” ‘Return’ in the Hebrew is SHUWB, and it is pretty much an exact translation. It is defined as the turning back, the repair, or the refreshing of. While our hearts need to be torn to expose their fleshly desires and allow for the sin to be removed by God, that is not enough. Unless we return to Him, shuwb to God, and become refreshed in relationship with Him, we will only return to our sinful ways. God wants to show us His love and relent from the calamity that our sin will bring upon us. He wants to change our end result from sinner to forgiven.
So here is the challenge, plain and simple. Maybe you did celebrate Yom Kippur and under the atonement you are forgiven. Maybe even after celebrating you have already messed up and fell into sin again. Or maybe you did not celebrate the holy day, and the sin you are needing to confess is burning a hole in your chest right now. No matter which one of these you are under, the truth is the same. Rend your heart and return to God. Expose your heart so that He can cleanse you. But do not stop there. Come back to Him as well. It is not too late for Him to relent from the calamity, and change the end result of your life. He desires to show His grace, His compassion, His slowness to anger, and His love, but we first must rend our hearts and return to Him.

NOT GONNA BOW
“Then the herald loudly proclaimed, ‘This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.’”
Daniel 3:4-6

When I was but just a youth of twelve or so, I remember going to my first youth camp. In was in February, and I remember that the church bus was grounded because of snow. Living in southern California growing up, snow was something we drove to see, not something we saw touching the ground where I was. As this camp was in the mountains, and snow had just fallen, only those with 4x4 or chains were allowed to take the kids. So as such, I piled into my friend’s dad’s jeep and we headed up to camp. Since we all took different rides, my ride was one of the first to arrive. We unloaded our things from the jeep and went into the chapel to await our fearless youth leader. But while waiting, another youth group was practicing their dance routine for the evening service. I remember thinking the dancing was fair, but the song caught my attention. They were dancing to Russ Taff’s, Not Gonna Bow.
I woke with this song in my head this morning, and soon found myself on youtube trying to find the video. As I listened to it, I was taken back in time to not only this memory, but in my mind’s eye I landed in the time of the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The faith of these three men was tested. Measuring ninety feet tall and stretching nine feet wide, King Nebuchadnezzar erected a statue of himself and positioned it on the plain of Dura. Then summoning all his royal officials, the king declared a day of dedication for the newly constructed image. It was at this grand ceremony that the decree was made concerning the allegiance and punishment related to the icon. The stage was set, the rules and punishment had been laid down, and now the first examination of all of Babylon was being undertaken. As soon as the sound of music was heard, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell prostrate in honor of the king, and in fear of the consequence. All, that is, except for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Seeing a lack of obedience from these men, those serving the king approached Nebuchadnezzar to point it out. They advised him that even though the sounds of music were heard, not all the people were obeying. And not only were some not obeying, but the one’s in disobedience were Jews. Nebuchadnezzar was angry with these men and had them summoned to stand judgment. The king wanted to make sure these men had heard the instruction, so he repeated it. He again told the men that when they heard the music they were required to bow down and worship the image or face the judgment for their actions. However, he added one little comment, a challenge so to say, when speaking alone with these men. He added, “’Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?’”(Dan 3:15).
Being obedient to the Law of Moses as we read in Exodus 20:5, these men would not bow down to an idol, even with the furnace being their fate. Enraged that they would not bow, the king cranked up the furnace seven times hotter and threw the three Hebrew men inside. The fire was so intense that it burned the soldiers standing guard. Yet, when Nebuchadnezzar and his advisers looked into the flame, they saw not three, but rather four men walking around in the fire. In shock and awe, the king shouted out to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to come out of the furnace. As the men were inspected, it was seen that God had protected them. No hair was seared, no smell of smoke lay on their clothes, and no burns appeared on their bodies. The fire was so hot that it burned the king’s guards, yet did not even leave a sight or smell of these men of God. God rocked the kingdom of Babylon that day as these men stood tenacious, risking everything for God. They believed God would come through. As such, the king ordered a decree that if anyone spoke ill of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they would pay a dear price.
So where does this account leave us? It leaves us being questioned as to what we may be bowing down to. Are we of those who hear the king’s decree and obey man over God? Do we fear the furnace and therefore bow down? Or are we of those who hear God’s command concerning the bowing to other gods and declare, “Come hell or high water, I will not bow!” I am tired of bowing down to the king, to man, and to the enemy, and fearing them more than my God. This account proves that when we put God first and obey Him we are the victors. Hear this, and hear it well devil, “I am NOT GONNA BOW!”

I WILL FOLLOW
"After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people."
Exodus 13:20-22

I normally sleep with the radio on throughout the night, and last night was no exception. The sound of worship music or Christian radio has a soothing effect on me and seems to paint a sense of peace within the room. So as the alarm going off this morning, I stirred to the song, I Will Follow, by Chris Tomlin. The chorus goes:

Where You go, I’ll go / where You stay, I’ll stay
When You move, I’ll move / I will follow

When I heard these words, my first thought was of the fire and cloud that the people of Israel followed while in the desert. After Moses had brought the people out of Egypt and they began their journey to the Promised Land, God chose to make the way clear. The people followed Moses in the direction he took them. Granted sometimes happily and sometimes grumbling, the Israelites nevertheless they did reach their destination. But God chose to give a sign that no one could mistake. I say this because roads are always being added these days. Subdivisions are being built, access roads are created, and life is always changing. But so there was no mistaking His path, God provided a cloud during the day and a fire at night. He provided for the Israelites and all those who watched them a clear sign of guidance.
I was reading last night in the book, The Torah Blessing, by Larry Huch, a chapter on the Jewish festival of Sukkot. He was giving wisdom concerning the way that the sukkah, or temporary booth, was to be built. He explained that the sukkah was meant to be lightweight, easy to carry, and able to be taken down at the drop of a hat. The roof of the sukkah was to be semi-covered, leaving slats in the materials wide enough so that the people could look up at any time to see the cloud or fire. As the cloud and fire were the GPS for the people of Israel, the people had to keep an eye out for any move these two made. As God led, the people followed.
I know in my own life I have times when I wonder if I am on the right road. I make a decision and hope I have made the right one. For example, a few years back I started grad school. After a few online sessions I stopped. I don't know if the right decision was to stop, or to even go in the first place. But I do know this, that in the whole process I had God's peace and I saw His provision. Maybe in some brief way that is what the Israelites felt also. They knew they were coming out of slavery. They knew that God was leading them into their land and they would have to take it by force. Yet God was with them. The cloud and the fire were a representation that they were in His hands. This ability to follow, to move, and to stay waiting for His hand is exactly the GPS that I want. My prayer is just that. May I follow God’s leading.

B’RESHEET
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1

With yesterday evening being the first of two evenings where we celebrate the Jewish new year, I thought it only fitting that we kick off this new year ourselves by going all the way back to the beginning. Today I want to share with you what God has spoken in His Word, but has also spoken to me directly. Now if you have followed my devotionals for at least the past year, you know that for the past five years or so God has given a specific word for me personally. You may recall that the word given last year was the word, STUDY. God was calling me to study to show myself approved. It is in this past year I have found most every open moment being consumed with studying His word. The year prior to that was the word AYEKA, which in Hebrew translates from Genesis 3:9, where are you in relationship to me. It was in that year I felt Him open my eyes to the gods that were working to detour me from Him. So today, as this new year starts, I share the Word from God for this next year.
Now before I share it, I think it fair to point out that in the past these words given by God have been personal to me. But this time around it seems to be different. While it is personal, I also feel like this is God’s word to the church and body as a whole. So with this said, I now share the word I feel God is giving us all in this season. The word is B’RESHEET. The entire Bible opens with the word B’resheet. Genesis 1:1 in Hebrew starts out, “B’resheet bara Eloheynu,” translated literally as, “In the beginning created God…” I feel strongly that God has been telling us all that this is the season of beginnings. He is creating beginnings for us all once more. Maybe they are new beginnings, maybe they are re-beginnings, but either way something new is taking place.
If we understand the depth of the word ‘beginning’ we can see how much it encompasses. While we know b’resheet does translate as beginning, it also translates as first, best, or choice part. That said we see that God is looking to give us in this time the blessing of the first section, the best portion, and the choice piece. We see that He doesn’t plan to just give us any old beginning, but the best beginning. When He created the world He did not just rehash trash and call it new, but instead He hand-picked the choice details and made them the new beginning. And I feel strongly that this in fact is what He will do this year in our lives. I feel He will purposefully make all things new for us.
In closing, I would like to share with you a specific word I heard Him speak to me. As I sat on my couch back in August, with the kids in school and the ability to just be quiet before Him, I heard as clear as a person speaking to me these words.

“I speak the non-existent into existence. I call the ‘not’ and it becomes. I breathe on the water and waves roar. Do not think that with one word from My mouth that I cannot do the same for you. Do not doubt what I am speaking over you, for it will come to pass. Only move, step out, follow My path. I have spoken over your footsteps and your path is clear because of Me.”

Again, I feel that although these words were given to me in my quiet time, they are for us all. God is ready to do a beginning in your life this year. He has already put the pieces in place and cleared the path. Let us move out with expectancy, then, and walk through the doors into the new places these beginnings will take us.

HEALING IN HIS WINGS part 2
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.”
Malachi 4:2

Yesterday we looked at the verses within the Torah that explain the wearing of the tallit. While we answered the question of which garment the healing of the wings rest in, we left open the question of whose garment this passage may be referring to. Today I would like to answer this question for you. In order to do so, I direct our attention to the New Testament Gospels, starting with Matthew.
In Matthew 9 we read of Yeshua being approached by an official whose daughter had just died. In full faith, the official asked that Yeshua would come and lay hands on his daughter, so that her life may be restored. Yeshua and his disciples got up and began making their way to the man’s house when a woman who had been suffering with a hemorrhage for twelve years touched Him. In reading in the book of Mark, we find that doctor expenses alone had taken her funds and her health had not progressed (Mk 5:25). So then in faith, she determined that if she could touch the hem of His garment, she could be made whole. But how had she determined this?
Remember, she too was Jewish. She too had been raised under the guidelines of the Torah. As such, she had probably learned at a young age that according to Numbers and Deuteronomy, the men were to wear the tallit with the tzitzit hanging in the corners. But, it is possible that she also knew the words of Malachi, that healing would come in the wings. If she could only touch the wing, the kanaph, the hem of His, Yeshua’s, garment, then she could be made whole. As this portion of the New Testament is written in Greek, let us consider the term KRASPEDON. She knew that in touching the kraspedon, the hem, the fringe, the tassel, of His garment, she would be healed. The wings that Malachi spoke of that the healing power would come from were those of Yeshua.
In looking then at the Gospel of Luke, we read that Yeshua turned about and questioned who had touched Him (Lk 8:45-46). Yes, many people were standing around, pushing in and bumping, but He singled out one specific touch. He singled it out because in the moment He had felt healing power flow out of Him. The woman felt this power also, for when the people were questioned, she did a quick examination and noticed that she was completely and immediately healed (Lk 8:47-48). It was her faith that had made her whole. It was her faith that if she could touch even the fringe of His garment, she could have life restored.
So this then begs the question. Where is our faith? I remember as a student chaplain in college praying for many people and wondering why they were not getting healed. Perhaps I was not praying the right prayer for them. Or perhaps their faith was small. Where are those who, like this woman, are not looking to stand in a prayer line but rather have the faith that their healing will come if they can only touch the hem of His garment? We read it in Malachi, that He comes with healing in His wings. Let us be bold and get our healing. Let us risk the crowd, risk the stares, risk the trouble to touch His hem and find our faith meeting with His power. Let us be like this woman, and find healing in Yeshua’s wings.

HEALING IN HIS WINGS part 1
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.”
Malachi 4:2

I know for myself, whenever I hear the word ‘Malachi’ I automatically think of the passages in chapter 3 concerning the tithe and offering. While it is true that we should not rob God in these ways, this is not the topic I want us to explore today. I want to move into the last chapter of this book and look specifically at the term, ‘healing in its wings.’ For me, this term has only in the past two years or so begun to make sense. However, it is my prayer that as I share with you today, you too will catch the revelation as I have concerning His healing power, and the importance of the tallit. This morning, we lay the ground work.
Let us begin with defining a few words from the Hebrew. The term ‘healing’ is MARPE, and the definition is profitable health, a cure, and even soundness of mind. I could use a little marpe right now to be honest with you. But I also want us to look at the word ‘wings’. This term in the Hebrew is KANAPH. The meaning here is not a wing like that of a bird, but rather it means an edge, border, or corner of a garment. So we see in just these two words that complete health and soundness of mind would be found in the edge or corner of a garment. But what garment? And maybe better a question, whose garment?
Before we answer these questions, let us step back a little further in the Bible to the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. In Numbers 15:37-39 we read of the LORD saying to Moses that the people were to make tassels on the corners of their garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. The term tassel is the word TZITZIT. The reason for this was that the tassels were to would serve as a reminder of the commands of God. Within the Torah we find a total of 613 commands. Having these tassels as a sign and the word to God branded on their hearts, the people would see them and turn away from sinning. But just to be sure the Israelites understood this, God spoke concerning these tassels again in Deuteronomy 22:12 when giving the second law. Here He reminded them saying, “Make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear.” Again, though, we see the term kanaph appear as these tzitzit were to be on the corner of the garments.
For those of you who know me and work close to me, you have probably from time to time over the past year seen me with tassels hanging out from under my shirt. The garment I am wearing is a tallit katan. This garment, translated as small tallit, is worn mainly under a man’s clothing like a poncho under the clothes. It too, however, has the tzitzit which serve as a reminder of the laws put in place by God. Matching the details found in Numbers 15, the tallit katan is also known as arba kanfot, or literally, four corners. While this garment has the tzitzit, the tassels, it is not the true garment spoken of. The tallit itself is more a shawl, worn during times of prayer over the outer clothes, and looks like a rectangular blanket.
While I feel we have done a good job at explaining the garment itself, the question still remains as to whose garment we are referring to? Tomorrow we will answer this question, and the link between the Old Testament law and New Testament revelation should come alive. Until then, I leave you with the prayer spoken as the tallit is placed over the shoulders.

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam
Asher kidishanu b’mitz’votav v’tzivanu l’hit’ateif ba-tzitzit
Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe
Who has sanctified us with His commandments
and commanded us to wrap ourselves in the tzitzit

May we wrap ourselves in His tassels, and find the health and soundness needed.

MY PERSONAL ZIKLAG
“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.”
I Samuel 30:6

In the past month I have heard the story of David at Ziklag more than once. I have learned that when that is the case, it normally means that God is trying to tell me something. With that said, I took the time to read this story with my son this morning while we were watching the sun come up and having our manly morning devotionals. What I found was very eye opening to me personally.
To set that stage, in I Samuel 30, David and his men are coming up on their camp in Ziklag after traveling for the past three days. When they reached the city, they found that the Amalekites had not only raided the place, but had also taken captive the women and children. David and his men saw the desolation left behind and wept. When the weeping was done, however, the men in David’s army began speaking about stoning David because of his actions days prior to leave the land and families behind. But David called for the ephod and inquired of the LORD as to his next step. The response from the LORD through Abiathar the priest was to go, pursue, and overtake.
Now with this story briefly outlined for you, I want to touch on the specifics as God has shown them to me. While I have never walked onto the scene of a burning city, pillaged and suffering, I have walked onto the scene of desolation. My life has not been the greatest at all times. I have walked onto the scene of divorce, the scene of miscarriage, the scene of death, and the scene of job loss to name but a few. But what was the first thing David and his men did? They wept. In fact, I Samuel 30:4 says they wept to the point of having no more strength. I can relate to this. When my dad passed away, I wept for days before finally feeling as though I could go on. But David didn’t stay in a weeping frame of mind. While he knew his men were considering stoning him, still he did not allow himself to stay in a poor frame of mind.
In I Samuel 30:6, David found strength in the LORD his God. He called for the ephod from the priest and took cover. The ephod was a priestly garment, made of threads of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, embroidered in gold thread. But the ephod here is mentioned in connection with a sacred oracle. As we see in this passage, when David wished to question God through the oracle, in this case Abiathar the priest, he commanded the priest to bring the ephod. While tucked in this garment he inquired of God whether or not he should pursue. May I offer to you that this garment was in that moment David’s prayer closet? David, knowing the pain of the men and knowing they were speaking death concerning him, encouraged himself in the LORD and sought his next move. He wanted only to move in the way which he was commanded by God.
I have been in Ziklag myself. I have felt firsthand the pain of loss, and have heard the voices as they vow to destroy me. I have fought the words of suicide, the yells of worthlessness, and the screams of ill speech. But I have not allowed myself to live there. I have found that I must encourage myself in the LORD. I must tuck myself in the ephod, in my prayer closet, and vow only to move as He leads me. And so I encourage you to do the same. I encourage you to seek His will, to question of God your next move. As David sought God’s voice, the response came to him to pursue them for he and his army would overtake them. With this assurance David moved. Let us be of those who like David, inquire in our personal Ziklag for the LORD’s commanded step.

CAPABLE OF REPENTANCE
“Adonai is slow to anger, but great in power; and he does not leave the guilty unpunished. Adonai’s path is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.”
Nahum 1:3

I would venture to say that we all know the story of Jonah. It was Jonah who, when asked by God to go to Nineveh, boarded a vessel heading the opposite direction. Instead of Nineveh, he went toward Tarshish. But Jonah soon learned that he could not run from God. A great storm met the boat during this journey and the men aboard began to fret, with the exception of Jonah who was asleep below. Stirred awake by the frightened crew, Jonah realized this dangerous storm was because of him, and he allowed himself to be thrown overboard where a great fish was standing by to gulp him up. For three days he remained in the fish’s belly. For three days he had time to think on the sin of his disobedience and seek repentance.
I almost think these three days of repentance served as a launching point for Jonah, for when he we spit on the beach by the fish later on, he began to do as God had ordered. For forty days, without fear or worry, Jonah preached that the people should repent of their ways, for Nineveh was a nasty city, and return to God. And having been in the fish, he knew a thing or two now about repenting and getting back in the center of God’s will. His message did not go unheard in Nineveh. As the people learned of God’s plan for the destruction of the city, they indeed repented and the city was saved. But as I mentioned, this is a story we probably all know.
Here is one we may not know as well, however, also concerning Nineveh. It is estimated that about 150 years later, Nineveh made the headlines again. From the time of Jonah’s message to repent, till now years later, the city once again got off-track. The people began once again to be detestable within the sight of God. Nahum 3 describes just to fraction of the filth that rested on the land years later. The city was steeped in lies (3:1), the streets were filled with heaps of bodies (3:3), and she whored herself to other nations (3:4). The place where once God had shown His mercy by relenting had over time become worse.
Because of these actions and a myriad of additional sins, God spoke through Nahum, saying, He does not leave the guilty unpunished. In essence, years prior the people had left their sin and came back to Him. Now, however, the people were too far gone. Their hearts were too hardened toward God that no one would listen this time around. And so God decreed, “’Though they be many and strong, they will be cut down, they will pass; and though I have made you suffer, I will make you suffer no more. Now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap the chains that bind you (1:12-13).’” God’s destruction on Nineveh was coming.
As I pondered over these two Nineveh’s, I could not help but wonder which one I live in now. Do I live in the Nineveh that still has a chance, or the one that is too far gone and hard hearted? In my daily walk, I encounter times of sin. Some I ignore, but others I struggle with. And because I am only human I sometimes give in to sin as well. But while I know God is there to forgive me, I never want to come to a point where I take God’s forgiveness for granted, or become hard hearted and set myself up for His wrath to be poured out upon me. I never want Romans 1:24 to be said of me, that God turned me over to the destruction of my sin. And I never want this to be said of you either. I am taking the time today, right now even, to call out to God in repentance before it is too late. While God is still willing to relent, I cry out. Will you also? God is slow to anger, but let us seek forgiveness while we are still capable to repent.

UNIQUE TREASURE
“In turn Adonai is agreeing today that you are his own unique treasure, as he promised you; that you are to observe all his mitzvoth; and that he will raise you high above all the nations he has made, in praise, reputation and glory; and that, as he said, you will be a holy people for Adonai your God.”
Deuteronomy 26:18-19

About twelve years ago I was out taking a walk and saw a coin on the ground. Now I am the kind of person that will stop and pick up money when found, even if it happens to be only a penny. So when I bent down to grab this coin, I found a coin I had not seen before. Using a little spit to wipe the dirt off, I found the top to look like a nickel. When I turned it over, though, I saw a buffalo. In my mind, I had just found a treasure. I hurried home to do a better cleaning job and found the date. Oh I was sure this was something now. Later that day, I made a call to a local coin collector and told him about my treasure, wondering exactly how much it may be worth beings so old. I was shocked to hear his quote. “Because I have so many and they are still common, it won’t be worth more than a dollar.” What? How could it be only worth that much? If it was so common why was this the first time I had seen one? I was perplexed that my treasure was not as unique as I had thought.
I was reading the Bible last night with my children and we read a section from Deuteronomy 26. Even though the passage doesn’t say the words “IF” and “THEN”, the latter part of the chapter really is an if/then statement. Let me show you. “You are agreeing today that Adonai is your God and that you will follow his ways; observe his laws, mitzvoth (commands), and rulings; and do what he says.” This is the “IF”. If we agree to do all that God has decreed, keeping His commands and walking in His ways, then we get to enjoy the benefit. And the benefit, the “THEN”, is so worth doing what He has commanded us.
Here is the “THEN”. “In turn Adonai is agreeing today that you are his own unique treasure, as he promised you; that you are to observe all his mitzvoth; and that he will raise you high above all the nations he has made, in praise, reputation and glory; and that, as he said, you will be a holy people for Adonai your God.” The “THEN” is that He raises us up above others in praise, reputation, and glory. But what is more, in doing the “IF” we become His unique treasure. Unlike my coin which did not turn out to be worth thousands, God places a great value on us.
But before I close, I want to take a minute to explain just how valuable we are to Him. The word for ‘unique’ in Hebrew is CAGULLAH. We translate it not only as unique, but also as valued property, peculiar treasure, a jewel, or possessed. Think about this. In God’s part of this joint relationship He is agreeing that we are His possession, His jewel of value, and His treasure. There are many days when I do not feel like a treasure. In fact, I probably have more days when I feel like a trash can in His presence as opposed to a treasure. Yet He thinks highly of me. Granted I need to do my part in keeping His commands and walking solely in His ways, but when I do as He has commanded I am looked at as His unique treasure.
I am so tired of looking in the mirror and feeling overtaken with disgust. I am so tired of stepping out of line with Him and being left to my own demise. I want to walk only in His ways, agreeing with Him today that I will follow Him, observe His laws and commands, and do what He says. I do not want to do it only for the “THEN” portion, but because in the “THEN” portion I begin to see myself as He sees me. I begin to see I truly am His unique treasure.