March 7, 2012 | Leave a comment Today, Wednesday March 7, 2012, is the twelfth day of preparing our hearts, souls and minds for the most high of all Christian holy days, Easter Sunday. Today I need to “put off” rebellion and “put on” brokenness. As a Southern American male the idea of being a rebel elicits feelings of pride in me because of my family heritage. My paternal great great grandfather served as a Confederate soldier. He was wounded, while being held in reserve, at the second Battle of Manassas, and later died from those wounds in a field hospital in Richmond Virginia, where he is buried in the Hollywood Cemetery. Many Southerners of my generation share similar family heritages. Lest you think that because you’re from the North you have no such family ties to an act of rebellion let me remind you that the American nation was founded through an act of rebellion against our mother country Great Britain. Therefore, every American is at our heart a rebel and for the most part very proud of that fact. When viewed biblically, however, rebellion is nothing about which one should be proud. According to the book of Samuel; 23 . . . rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. 1 Samuel 15:23a (ESV) The KJV uses the word witchcraft instead of divination. In other words the Bible is telling us that to be a rebel is equated in God’s eyes with being a witch or some other practitioner of the occult. Many of us who are proud of our heritage would never consider ourselves guilty of those sins, yet this text of Scripture is clear. Therefore, I must put off “rebellion” and put on “brokenness.” Biblically speaking, to be a rebel places us in the company of Satan, Korah, Absalom, Sheba, and Jeroboam. Each of these rebels did not receive that for which they bargained. Whenever you or I engage in rebellion we need to be aware that we will receive a similar fate. Instead of rebelling against God I need to become broken before God. Isaiah teaches us the kind of person whom God will forgive and renew. 15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15 (ESV) The Hebrew word translated contrite literally means “broken.” In fact, its meaning is much stronger used in many instances to convey the idea of being crushed or broken into pieces. The idea is that I must realize that in God’s presence I am nothing and am absolutely and totally dependent upon Him for my very life and livelihood. When I come to this realization about God and myself then I place myself in a position where God will revive my spirit and my heart. I need to understand that it is only when I am shattered, crushed, or broken before God that I may obtain His attention. Therefore, today I must put off “rebellion” and put on “brokenness” so that my spirit and heart may be revived by God who is “high and lifted up,” “inhabits eternity, and “whose name is Holy!” Of course being broken before God is only necessary for those who wish to “dwell” with Him eternally in His holy place. I hope that includes you, because dwelling with God both here and now and throughout eternity is becoming my personal obsession; so I need to put off “rebellion” and put on “brokenness” today!