Getting Chiseled

Psalm 66:7-8
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;

For some reason when I was reading this verse I was given a picture from the book the Odyssey. There were sirens who sang so beautifully that it lead men to their death. The captain, knowing he was only mere flesh, had his crew tie him to the mast and resisted temptation going through the storm. He knew that if his crew saw that he could do it they would be inspired they would not abandon their ship, and they would get through the most dangerous storms and temptations ever. I was forced into reading this story in one of my secular English courses but in a secular school they tear it apart and make it into something to do with the worldly undignified junk. However, I felt God speaking to me as I read.

Last night in church our pastor was talking about Michelangelo and how when he created David so beautifully people asked him how he did it. Michelangelo's response was that he just chiseled away until everything that didn't look like David was gone. Our pastor explained that we were designed to be like Christ and God would chisel away anything that kept us from being like Him that was in our lives. I thought of my present storm. That song "Lead Me to the Cross" that has been in my head for weeks now. I remembered how imperfect I am and how much work my Master had to do on me.There is still so much to chisel away in my life. I remembered the captain of the boat who allowed them to hang him to the mast to save his people from death and I thought of Jesus. I thought of all the temptations He resisted. From the mast he could watch over his people. From the cross Jesus watched over us. I remember today how He said "God forgive them for they know not what they do".

Isn't it like that when we are lead into temptation? We go into it blindfolded most of the time we don't even realize what we are getting ourselves into. Everyone I love has offered me advice on how to deal with situations differently if I was ever in the situation of being falsely accused again. However, God spoke to me Himself last night and made more sense making me realize Christ too was in my shoes. God told me to turn the other cheek. I know it hurts to be accused of horrible things that aren't even true and it can certainly cause anger to rage up inside you. However, when that anger comes on me I have to allow God to chisel it away from me to make me beautiful again. I am sure that Jesus felt some temptation to become angry when He was nailed to the cross. I am sure He resisted that temptation and turned the other cheek. God blessed Him for that and God blesses others also for turning the other cheek. It hurt yes but we have been called to be persecuted we have been called to be martyrs for Him. We can't let our flesh grab us and pull us into being like the world. We have to stand firm on His word.

Matthew 16:24-27
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.