Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. {Isaiah 48:8}
It is painful to remember that in a certain degree this accusation may be laid at the door of believers who too often are measurably spiritually insensitive. We might as well beat ourselves ‘over the head’ that we do not hear the voice of the Father as we ought as illustrated in the scripture above.
We have been carelessly ignorant in that "Yea, thou knewest not." There are matters which we ought to have seen, snares from our enemy which have made headway unnoticed, sweet affections which are being blighted like flowers in the frost untended by us, glimpses of the Father and the Son which might be perceived if we did not ‘wall up the windows of our soul‘.
As we think of it we are humbled in the deepest self-condemnation. How we adore the grace of God as we learn from the word that all this folly and ignorance on our part was foreknown by God and yet He has been pleased to deal with us in mercy and grace!
"I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour . . . Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life"! O redemption, how wondrously resplendent dost thou shine when we think how black we are! O Holy Spirit, give us henceforth the hearing ear, the understanding heart! {Isaiah 43:4}
Let us get down on our knees and thank God for His mercy and His grace for none of us deserves it but it was a free gift from the Father. How could not accept?
