"They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit."
Job 15:35
During the first World War, I was practicing medicine. Many young men were volunteering for service in the Army. Among them was one fellow, the son of a preacher, who, lured by the prospects of the thrill of combat, tried to enlist. However, when examined for service he was rejected because he was ten pounds underweight. He sought my advice as to how he might gain ten pounds, but it was all to no avail. The best he could do was gain five pounds. A few weeks later I heard he had been accepted into service. When I first saw him I enquired how he had manged to put on extra pounds, and he slyly replied, "Just before I went in for my examination, I ate five pounds of BANANAS, and just made it." He was later killed in action.
Job describes those who by deceit seek to gain their ends, but later must eat the bitter fruits. Job said of such, "He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it?" (Job 15:23). Of all such Solomon said, "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel." (Proverbs 20:17).
One may fool men, even the army physicians, but no such tactics can fool God. He weighs with a scale having x-rays attached and immediately recognizes the fraud of a man trying to make himself fit for God by his own efforts. God says of every sinner, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting" (Daniel 5:27). The bananas of morality, good works, religion, and human righteousness cannot avail. Only as a sinner accepts Christ into his heart can he (in Christ) meet the standards of God's holiness. You cannot deceive God - you are only deceiving yourself.
"Bread For Each Day"
No comments:
Post a Comment