Did you find the BE that should have been a BEEN in last week's HLFA?
(go back and read it so you can say yes).
Here comes a reflection because of it.
In A Shattered Visage, a book-length emotional rant against atheism, Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias puts forth the following assertion:
The words of Augustine are most appropriate: "You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee." Or, as Pascal(1623-1662) put it, "There is a god-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, and only God can fill it." [p.89],..
The Song writer Plumb, made this phrase of a "God Shaped Hole" a fairly popular buzz phrase.
Nothing wrong with the "God Shaped Hole" in a devotional sense for the one who is already quickened, but it may lose its accuracy when it is trying to straddle the lost and the saved and the backslider and all the ramifications of the life and world we live in.
The statement below is a speculative devotional thought based on the reversal of this philosophy of the "God Shaped Hole in the heart of men".
Since the Fall of man there has been a "man shaped hole" in the Broken Heart of the God that created him. "Adam where art thou?" God was heard to say in the garden. Sin totally kept that hole disappointingly empty(actually both holes) ... But Jesus removed the sin situation preparing the way back into God's heart.
There is enough scripture between these two philosophies to keep discussions heated and hearts on fire long enough to bond them and become more fully devoted to our Lord and Savior.
Key this week ... Jesus suffered enough ("It is finished") ... quit wasting time in eternity beating yourself for things He took the beating for and rest in His Grace and trust in His Love.
Isaiah 40:27-31
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest,
--- "Why do I talk like this?"
O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD,
--- God doesn't have time to care about me, I'm too insignificant.
and my judgment is passed over from my God?
--- When it comes to my deliverance, God somehow misses me.
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard,
--- Did God repeat himself? ... I better listen intently here are the facts:
that the everlasting God, the LORD,
--- He is our never-ending help.
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
--- He created and set us within the boundaries.
fainteth not, neither is weary?
--- Our neediness doesn't wear Him out (though our fake "I'm OK" may).
there is no searching of his understanding.
--- The depth of His understanding goes beyond our comprehension.
He giveth power to the faint;
--- He gives Himself to support our frail efforts ti live.
and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
--- He is our Strength even when we have none.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary ,
--- Our youthfulness doesn't guaranty stability of strength
and the young men shall utterly fall:
--- The young have pressure limits too.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
When trust our delays, setbacks, movements ahead, plans, hopes, fears, stresses, joys, past failures, present stumbles, and future unknowns to the focused powerful care of our Loving God .... we will revive, we will stand ready, we will run, we will walk ... in His Strength. Rise up!!!
HLFA,
Jeff
