Forget The Days Of Your ShameSpeaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: Never forget the covenant that God has made with you. Trust Him completely. He will resurrect you with His Spirit and will make you forget your old days of shame and loss. He will surely fulfill His promises in your life. Let not your heart be troubled. "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore." (Isaiah 54:4)
The devout King David cried out to the Lord, pleading with Him, "Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, for your goodness' sake, O Lord" (Psalm 25:7;51:1-11).
Friend, it is quite natural that we, after coming to the Lord and after resolving that we should live for His glory and witness to His glory, feel enslaved by the consciousness of previous guilt. Consequently, we are weakened and suppressed by guilt-feelings and we are unable to arise and shine. Our soul is debilitated.
After our Lord Jesus was nailed to the Cross, His disciples had lost their peace, because they had run away from Him because one disciple denied owning Him because, on the whole, they had lost their faith. They shut themselves up in their room, scared of the avenging Jews. While tremulously upset over what they had done to their Master, Jesus Himself "Came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you" (John 20:19). Liberating them from their fear and conferring His peace upon them, "He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them" (John 20:22,23).
The very same Peter, who had denied the Lord Jesus, after receiving the authority of the Holy Spirit, boldly stood up to preach Jesus in front of thronging multitudes. Even when the shadow of Peter fell on the sick, they were healed (Acts 5:16). The Lord transfigured them like Him - those who deserted Him and even denied Him, and made them new, making them forget their feelings of shame and fear.
Dear friend, quite often, we puzzle ourselves asking, "Why do afflictions harass the ministries of God and those who lead sanctified lives?" This question will elicit a perfect answer only when we reach heaven. Nevertheless, there is a stipulation to be adhered to when a man of God tries to follow the path traversed by Jesus.
The Bible records the injunction of Jesus, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)
Jesus, our Lord who was the total incarnation of the Almighty God, taking the form of a servant, gave Himself up to death on the cross, a cursed symbol of the world. Even before His experience of the Cross, He was a 'Man of Sorrow', 'exceedingly sorrowful and acquainted with grief (Matthew 26:38). But, God sent His Spirit to raise the soul and body of Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).
Today, He tells us, "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore (Revelation 1:18). He declares, "I am the resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). He is seated on His throne as the King of kings. The same Lord will resurrect you with His Spirit. He will make you forget your old days of shame and loss. "Instead of your shame you shall have double honour" (Isaiah 61:7) and instead of your insulting loss, you'll have double reward. He will transform you so that you can put on the might of God and bring 'life' to others. He will honour you.
Dear friend, let us not forget the covenant instituted by God with us. Let us trust Him, glorify Him and stand fixedly in our faith in order that He will fulfill all His promises. He will make us forget the days of shame, insult and darkness. He will rid us of all our fear, give us double reward and grant us ecstasy of delight.
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
You are the King of kings and the Lord of Lord. You alone are worthy to be praised, glorified and honoured. Help me never to forget the covenant You have made with me. Grant me a heart filled with love, faith, trust and compassion. Grant me Your divine grace to understand that You are the unchanging God who will surely fulfill all Your promises in my life. Let Your will be done in my life. In Jesus' priceless name, I pray.
Amen. |