ODJ: static
July 27, 2009
It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore (v.2).
READ: Isaiah 59:1-15
I love the conveniences of modern technology— especially cordless phones. These devices afford me mobility without the problem of tangled cords. But while I enjoy the freedom, I often have to cope with an irritation—the snap, crackle, and pop of static. These hindrances happen mainly when I move too far away from the phone base. The greater the distance, the more difficult it becomes to hear and understand the person I’m talking to.
Similarly, the further we move away from God—our source of life and power—the more we experience spiritual static and can’t hear His voice.
In the Bible, we find several things listed that move us away from God. The first negative agent is sin (Isaiah 59:2). Isaiah said that sins and iniquities have separated God’s people from Him and hidden His face from them—resulting in their calls not being “taken” by Him.The second distance-creating challenge is selfishness (v.4). James said that God did not answer His peoples’ prayers because they asked with the wrong motives—so they could spend what they got on their pleasures. (See James 4:3.) The third destructive path that causes spiritual static is rebellion (Isaiah 59:13). God’s people arrogantly disobeyed His commands, and when their enemies attacked them, they cried out to God. But God refused to listen to their prayers (Deuteronomy 1:43-45).
The fourth communication-canceling issue is injustice (Isaiah 59:9,11,14-15). God said that He would hide His eyes from His people because they were not pleading the cause of the oppressed, widows, and fatherless (Isaiah 1:15-17). The final static-maker addresses our personal power base: lack of faith (James 1:6-7). Let’s stay close to God, our source of power and life, by living out humility, righteousness, single-mindedness, and faith. —Marvin Williams
Which static-causing issue has moved you away from God? What will you do to close the gap between Him and you?
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