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Lev. 15
As I read this chapter, I couldn’t help but think about the woman with the twelve year hemorrhage, who touched the hem of Jesus’ robe for healing. It made me think that Jesus didn’t just heal this woman; He made her clean. In fact most of Jesus’ recorded healings did so much more than simply heal physical ailments. As with this woman, Jesus also made the lepers clean, enabling them to return to God’s presence. He freed the demon possessed from their bondage to evil, setting them free from their prisons. He enabled the blind to see His truth, the lame to follow Him, and the dead to live. These are the things He does for every one of us. We may not have the obvious physical ailments, but our true need for healing is no different than the subjects of His earthly miracles.
Ps. 18
“With the kind you show Yourself kind; with the blameless you show Yourself blameless; with the pure you show Yourself pure, and with the crooked you show Yourself astute.” (Ps. 18:25-26). This reminds me of the truth Jesus spoke that you will be measured by the measure you choose to use (see Matt. 7:2). If you accept the truth about yourself, you will be able to accept the truth about God. You will see Him as He sees you through Christ. If, on the other hand, you oppose God, you will see Him as opposing you.
I looked up the word, “astute”. I think the literal translation of the verse is something to the effect of, “with the twisted you show yourself twisted”. Different versions translate this in various ways, but I like the word, “astute”. One definitions I saw was, “Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one’s advantage.” In this application, that means that God knows our hearts and that, no matter how we see or respond to Him, He wins. The beautiful thing is that when we willingly admit the victory is His, He shares it with us.
Prov. 29
“An unjust man is abominable to the righteous, and he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.” (Pr. 29:27). This is why evil will never be at peace with truth. Evil and truth, wicked and righteous are direct opposites. They move opposite directions and pursue opposite things. There is no such thing as “coexistence” because each one is equally despised by the other. Of course, each side reacts differently to that which they despise. The righteous may despise evil, but that gives them peace with God, regardless of what evil does. However, “When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, the foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.” (Pr. 29:9).