Love Wins

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire? Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you." (Zechariah 3: 1-4)

There are many lessons in these four verses. I hardly know which way to go this morning! But, what strikes me is how we have the humble and deeply amazing privilege to stand before God. The "angel of the Lord" was either God Himself, or one the Lord was speaking through. Secondly, Satan often stands up close to accuse us. Sometimes, the accusations in and of themselves are true. Sometimes, they are wrought with lies. The trouble comes in what we believe about those accusations in regard to ourselves, situations, others, and God. What is the swift response to Satan's accusation toward Joshua? God rebukes him, not once, but emphatically, twice. Satan despises God's grace and mercy. And, he especially hates it when we receive it, live it, and breathe it. The Lord pointed out to Satan that Joshua was hand-picked and pulled from the fire by His mighty hand. (We are all this burning stick snatched from a fire). Thirdly, Joshua was standing in filthy clothes. This was necessary because someone being plucked from a fire is someone who needs saving. The filthy clothes represented Joshua's sin. How remarkable is it that we get to stand before God in filthy clothes? This is the place where love wins! Lastly, and my favorite, is when the angel of the Lord requests that Joshua's filthy clothes be removed and replaced with rich and clean garments. Isn't this so characteristic of who we know God to be? He rolls out the red carpet for us. How can it be? How can His love be so total? He annihilates the accuser, here. The truth of who we are and who HE is, is made known. 

We can learn so much from these four short verses. Do you feel accused and oppressed? Do you feel covered in soot? Do you wonder if you even have the right to look up at God? Oh, but you do and you can. That short scene was not written by me. It was breathed by the God of the universe. Those are HIS words to show us we are deeply loved and forgiven. Not just forgiven, but gently cleaned off, tears dried, and brought to a place of restoration and DIGNITY. Love wins. Thank you, Lord!