"But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery?" Habakkuk 1:13 NLT
With most of the world's rivers, streams, lakes,
and oceans too polluted to safely drink from without purification, we were
looking at one that was 98% pure.
While on vacation, my wife and I visited Forbidden Caverns near Pigeon Forge,
Tennessee. As we descended more than 300 feet to the lowest point of our tour,
we saw flowing water. A river that came from somewhere high above and snaked
through cracks and openings in the cavern to flow into the bowels of the earth.
Looking at the water, I could tell it was different. Moonshiners and Native
Americans once used it to ply their trade and survive in the wild. And without
harm. Our guide told us why. The water was 98% pure. One could drink it without
risk of harm-no need for filtration.
God's purity is greater than the cavern water. Throughout all 66 books of the
Bible, God is proclaimed as pure-100 percent. Pagan gods were untrustworthy and
not always after the best interests of their followers, but the God of Israel
was different. No iota of evil attaches itself to His character, and He expects
His followers to adhere to the same code of conduct. Trouble is, I'm not pure.
Nor can I be by my own power.
Polluted water can be made drinkable by filtration. While hiking and
backpacking, I've drunk from many questionable water sources, but I protected
myself by filtering the water. When it comes to my nature, I can't do anything
to make it pure. I can try turning over new leaves-and I may do well
temporarily, but I can't make myself good permanently. Bad attitudes, foul
language, greedy thoughts, and lustful looking will creep in.
God must have known He was requiring something I wasn't capable of since He sent
His pure Son to do for humanity what we couldn't do for ourselves. When I accept
what Christ did on Calvary's cross, I'm given His righteousness-His purity. God
considers my sin debt paid, not because I paid it but because His Son paid it
for me. I've been filtered by the blood of Christ and made 100% pure.
Don't try to be good so God will accept you; accept God and let Him change your
nature.
Prayer: Father, we thank You for doing for us what we could never do for
ourselves.
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