Yes, I am a rockies fan. In fact the entire band is elated with news of the Rockies success so far this postseason. It's been 12 long years since they've had any postseason action. And we're stoked. But as baseball fever has ravaged the mile high city, it's given me pause. "Why am I so excited and content with spending so much time and energy in so finite a thing as baseball?" Because the Rockies have stunk the past, well they pretty much never been very impressive, why is it that all of the sudden everyone's wearing purple and black and white. Are we really so complacent as a people. It only takes a Matt Holliday sliding into homebase to inspire so much passion.
Sadly, believers we're seldom any different from fickle baseball fans. The following is the first half of the 2nd verse of "Thou, Whose Purpose:"
Thou, who still as sword delivers
rather than a placid peace,
with your sharpened sword disturb us,
from complacency release!
God's word is a sword. It is sharp and fatal to our flesh. How tritely we quote it. Oft times we never bother to remember. We'd rather quopte "Princess Bride" than Habbakuk 3! We claim to be "Bible believing." But do we honestly believe that God's word is a sword that delivers us from placid peace. Just because we live in the "ipod" era does not mean that God has ceased to draw his sword. Sink your teeth into these Old Testament passages:
Lev 26:25
And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of [my] covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
2Sa 15:14
And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
1Ki 3:24
And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
1Ch 21:12
Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh [thee]; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
Jer 25:29
For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
Jer 42:17
So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
Jer 49:37
For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, [even] my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:
Eze 5:17
So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken [it].
Eze 6:3
And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, [even] I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.
Eze 11:8
Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 14:17
Or [if] I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
Eze 29:8
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee.
Eze 33:2
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
However, the New Testament has plenty of instances of the sword that belongs to Christ (He's portyrayed as having a towedged sword protruding from His holy mouth). God's sword has always signified His passion for truth and holiness. It is literally a symbol of the cutting off of the flesh. In the Old Testament He used it to disperse His consecrated people, ergo a cutting off of the flesh and a seperation to action. As a result of God's handling the sword (and the hymn says it best) it disturbed the people of God to action (rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, etc.).
Yet the New Covenant continues the theme. Whenever, God's holy priesthood settles into complacency, our prayer should be, "With Thy sharpened word disturb us, from complacency release." The sword of God's word in the hands of an unskilled warrior will result in injury to the Body of Christ. However, when we allow God to handle His own word and "hasten to perform His word," then we can trust He will (sometimes painfully) cut away the complacency that holds us captive.
So believer, be anxious for the sharpened word of God to pierce deep within your heart. Let it root out sin and shame. Let it ROUSE you from a placid complacent slumber.
So Holy Bearer of the Sword. The Word of God Thyself. Triune One, immutable One. Let Your sharpened word disturb us from our contentment with sin, and convenient morals. As the Carol says, "You rule the world with Truth and grace and make the nations prove the glories of Thy Righteousness and wonders of Thy love." That is the faith we desire Father. By the Blood of the Christ we ask that you plant these truths deep within and ROUSE Thy bride from he slumber. For Your glory and renown we are expectant! Let Thy kingdom come!
Amen
For His renown,
BenZ
im4hisrenown@yahoo.com
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