The Gift of Tears
“Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.”
Today’s Text: Joshua 15:20-63 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
The Jebusites held on to their city Jebus for a long time (Judges 1:21). The city was fortified, and it stood on a mountain (originally Moriah, later Zion). It was extremely difficult to take.
The city was finally taken by King David (1 Chronicles 11:6). Even after that, a remnant of the Jebusites continued to live in Jerusalem, but they became slaves of the Israelites under Solomon (2 Chronicles 8:7).
In fact, a remnant of many of the inhabitants of the promised land continued to live among the Israelites, and they continued to lead the Israelites astray from the ways of God (Ezra 9:1).
But then, what of God’s promise to drive out all the inhabitants of the land (Exodus 34:11)? Did God fail to keep His promise?
Absolutely not! God’s covenant promise has always been that He would be with them and go before them as long as they continued to obey His covenant stipulations given in His word.
It is super important to keep in mind that our covenant relationship with God is not salvation by works. Our covenant relationship with God is salvation by faith. But every step of faith is a step of obedience, and every step of obedience is a step of faith. God saves us through faith, but true faith is always expressed through a heart and a life that is inclined toward obedience.
And so it is not true that God reneged on His promise to drive out all the peoples. It is not true that God failed to drive out all the peoples. God cannot lie, and God cannot fail!
Rather, the Hebrews continually failed due to a lack of faith—a lack of faith demonstrated by their failure to keep God’s covenant stipulations. And because of their failure, God was not with them; God did not go out before them.
None of us are perfect, and we all sin. To be sure, the very fact that I regret my sin—especially when my sin has little to do with human rules and laws—tells me that the Holy Spirit is working in me. But I have often found myself regretting my sin without really repenting.
But the Spirit of God urges me to recognize Who it is that I am sinning against and to feel the sorrow of offending my God (2 Corinthians 7:10). Oswald Chambers notes -
Repentance is the bedrock of Christianity. Strictly speaking, we can’t choose to repent; repentance is a gift from God, the result of “godly sorrow.” The Puritans used to pray for “the gift of tears.” If you ever stop knowing the virtue of repentance, you are in darkness. Examine yourself and see if you’ve forgotten how to be sorry.
I must never make light of the work of Christ on the cross for my sin. I must not forget how to be sorry and sorrowful for my sin.
Father, You are the Author of my salvation. You have paid the great cost so that I may be forgiven. Forgive me for making light of Your sacrifice. Give me “the gift of tears,” so that my holiness may grow without regret. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
