Since the first couple rebelled against God in the garden, humanity has attempted to reverse the natural order of our relationship with the Divine. Instead of serving Him as our Lord, we often attempt to manipulate Him into serving us.
We willingly distance ourselves from Him, yet we expect God to remain on standby, ready to rush to our aid the moment we face trouble. Isaiah captured this fundamental human dilemma perfectly:
From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed. (Isaiah 64:4-5)
Jesus blessed the pure in heart, promising that they would “see God” (Matthew 5:8). In a sense, those who “wait for” God experience that same intimacy.
The “pure in heart” and those who “wait for Him” share a vital conviction: they believe God is their only true hope.
They stand in stark contrast to the double-minded—those who trust God in one moment but chase worldly paths the next. As James writes, “For the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7-8).
Consider the 911 function on a phone. I want it available for emergencies, but I don’t necessarily want the operator calling me to dictate my daily schedule. Unfortunately, this is precisely how many treat God. We want Him to intervene in our crises, yet we resent His “interference” in our personal plans.
However, the double-minded person, characterized by persistent sin and transgression, should not expect divine favor. What they should expect, instead, is trouble and ruin.
Prayer and Iniquity
We cannot flee from God and run toward Him at the same time. We cannot pursue iniquity and seek God in prayer in tandem.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.There is no one who calls on your name
or attempts to take hold of you,
for you have hidden your face from us
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. (Isaiah 64:6-7)
The final phrase of verse 7 summarizes the ruin that follows when the inner self is twisted by iniquity. With deep sorrow, God allows the natural consequences of sin to take their course. Our iniquities, like a gale-force wind, threaten to blow us into oblivion.
A Plea for Restoration
We need look no further than our own lives to see the folly of running from God. Like Isaiah’s original audience, we often try to have it both ways—clinging to God while flirting with the idols of this world. And like them, we eventually learn that such a life is futile.
Rather than fleeing toward transgression, we have the invitation to run toward Him, seeking forgiveness and restoration.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people. (Isaiah 64:8-9)
God has made abundant provision for those who have experienced the ruin of a life lived apart from Him. Jesus came to give His life as a “ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When we turn to Him in genuine repentance, we can confidently claim the promise of Scripture:
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
One man famously missed the point when he remarked, “God and I have a deal: I like to sin, and He likes to forgive.”
That is a dangerous misunderstanding of grace. Paul expressed the truth far better: Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4).
Let us allow the promise of God’s forgiveness to draw us to Him daily. May we shun the path of the double-minded and embrace His plan, and His alone.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 