Closer Today Than Yesterday: Fruit of the lips

Monday, October 27, 2008

Fruit of the lips

I'm having some trouble today with my study verse. Here it is;

Isaiah 57:19
"...creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the Lord. "And I will heal them."

In this passage the Lord is speaking of how he will yet redeem his sinful. Despite their sin, their greed, their willful disobedience, even still, God will guide and restore his people. He will do this in order to bring forth 'fruit of the lips' or praise as is presented in this passage.

To those who mourn, I believe that would be those who have come to the end of themselves and have chosen to repent, God will create or 'sprout' 'fruit of the lips.' This speaks to me of the dramatic change in myself.

As a sinner, my 'fruit' was always about myself, what I was doing, what I had done, what I would do. I was my own idol and I worshiped my self. But when my idol failed me, as all idols do, I became a mourner and God, who had been patiently waiting for this moment, 'sprouted fruit of (my) lips.' I now sing praises to God and my actions now reflect my allegiance to The King.

The next sentence "peace, peace, to those far and near..." I read to mean the Gentiles and the Jews. Being a Gentile, I was 'far' from God. Nevertheless, God has granted peace to my soul.

And the last sentence "I will heal them." That means to me that God draws no distinction with respect to salvation (healing) between the Gentile and the Jew.

The problem I have with this passage is not in understanding the passage. It's in my response to it. I'm going to meditate on this passage throughout the day and I may come back later and add comment to this post. But for now, I'm signing off and offering the 'fruit of my lips' to God.

Regards,
Carl

1 comment:

Bill said...: Personally, my reading of your entry here, Carl, is right on. I pulled up my Quickverse Life Application Bible; and here's what it says about the context of your study verse for the day ...

ISAIAH 57:14-21
Verses 1-13 speak of pride and lust; verses 14-21 tell how God relates to those who are humble and repentant (i.e., “contrite”). The high and holy God came down to our level to save us because it is impossible for us to go up to his level to save ourselves (see 2 Chronicles 6:18; Psalm 51:1-7; Philippians 2).

My own comment from this intriguing and convicting passage from Isaiah, is that the "fruit of the lips" (I like that phrase for "praise") most readily comes when we are repentant of our sin (the "fruit of the flesh") and living out the "fruit of the Spirit," which we can choose now that we have God in us. Wouldn't you say that you find yourself in a praise mood most often when you're shining the light of Christ through the fruit of the Spirit? Of course, we're to be praising God at all times; but I maintain that is done more easily when we live as unto Luke 9: 23 and become the fruit of the Vine (as in John 15).

Just some thoughts. I await your further comments as you said from your entry. ... <'BB><; October 29, 2008 at 8:03 AM

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So I Stand Near The Gate

I read the below poem at a critical point in my life and it's message resonated with me. My ministry, "Near The Gate" was named in homage to this poem. When reading this poem, feel free to substitute the word 'gate' for the word 'door' and you'll have a little glimpse inside my head.

SO I STAY NEAR THE DOOR

By the Reverend Canon Samuel Moor Shoemaker, Jr., D.D., S.T.D.

I stay near the door.
I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,
The door is the most important door in the world–
It is the door through which men walk when they find God.
There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,
When so many are still outside, and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where a door ought to be.
They creep along the wall like blind men,
With outstretched, groping hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it - - -
So I stay near the door.
The most tremendous thing in the world
Is for men to find that door–the door to God.
The most important thing any man can do
Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,
And put it on the latch–the latch that only clicks
And opens to the man’s own touch.
Men die outside that door, as starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter–
Die for want of what is within their grasp.
They live, on the other side of it–because they have found it.
Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in, and find Him - - -
So I stay near the door.
Go in, great saints, go all the way in–
Go way down into the cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious attics–
It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence, or sainthood.
Some must inhabit those inner rooms,
And know the depths and heights of God,
And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper look in,
Sometimes venture a little farther;
But my place seems closer to the opening - - -
So I stay near the door.
There is another reason why I stay there.
Some people get part way in and become afraid
Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them;
For God is so very great, and asks all of us.
And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia.
And want to get out. "Let me out!" they cry.
And the people way inside only terrify them more.
Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled
For the old life, they have seen too much;
Once taste God, and nothing but God will do any more.
Somebody must be watching for the frightened
Who seek to sneak out just where they came in,
To tell them how much better it is inside.
The people too far in do not see how near these are
To leaving–preoccupied with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door,
But would like to run away. So for them too,
I stay near the door.
I admire the people who go way in.
But I wish they would not forget how it was
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help
The people who have not yet even found the door,
Or the people who want to run away again from God.
You can go in too deeply, and stay too long,
And forget the people outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there,
But not so far from men as not to hear them,
And remember they are there, too.
Where? Outside the door–
Thousands of them, millions of them.
But–more important for me–
One of them, two of them, ten of them,
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.
For those I shall stay by the door and wait
For those who seek it.
"I had rather be a door-keeper . . . "
So I stay near the door

Closer Today Than Yesterday

Monday, October 27, 2008

Fruit of the lips

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Monday, October 27, 2008

Fruit of the lips

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So I Stand Near The Gate

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