Inside Out

If you're like me, you may have noticed all the nice Scripture decor in stores, homes, and churches. They make us feel good. But often, we read and apply them inside out. They don't fit quite right, but we try to make them say and mean what was never intended.

Funny side story (if you're interested--if not skip this paragraph and keep going, but it relates to the topic at hand); We focused on Scripture as our children were growing up and they noticed it was used in greeting cards, etc. One Sunday afternoon they were inspired to cut slips of paper and write Scripture references. It was close to Valentine's Day so with each Valentine, I included one of their hand-written notes. Weeks (months?) later, out of curiosity I looked up the references.

I don't remember the exact verses, but they were similar to Jeremiah 5:6*, Judges 8:19**, Colossian 6:13, etc. I read them, and was both puzzled and horrified. "Did you read the actual verses you wrote down?" No. No, of course they didn't. 

All that to say, it's easy to misread and misuse Scripture. 

This morning, as I read about Stephen's discourse in Acts 7, I thought of how many times people seeking deliverance refer to stories of Moses, God's promise to Israel in Jeremiah 29:11, or the conversion of Saul. Those are amazing stories! God has shown Himself powerful and strong to save.

And there's the rub--instead of putting ourselves into Scripture that is narrative in style, that recounts a specific person and situation--we would do far better to pull God off the page and focus on His wonder and grace. This God does not necessarily rescue us from a difficult situation, but shows His might and grace by seeing us through the situation.

The psalmist wrote, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."? He didn't set up camp and break out lawn chairs. He kept walking, moving forward, trusting his Shepherd to lead him to the other side.

Ephesians says God's mystery (the gospel, the purchase of our souls at the cost of Jesus' life and the inclusion of Gentiles) "... is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens." (Ephesians 3:10). 

God's power is displayed in His work through us--and in us. His Spirit changes and transforms us supernaturally. Not magically, but surely.

Today, take heart that, whether or not your circumstances change, God is working to change you. He is able. He is He who says He is and He will do what He says He will do. Instead of reading your Bible, looking longingly at people He delivered, look at the God who worked deliverance. Yes, He will and does deliver, that is what He does, but in the process, He is doing a much greater work. He is leading you to change--to depend on Him, to see the way He sees, to think the way He thinks, to act in accordance with His character instead of your own.

When you read your Bible right-side out, it fits much better!

 *"Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased." (Jeremiah 5:6)

**Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” (Judges 8:19)