Pulling Your Hair Out
Today's Verse:
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. ~Ezra 9:3
Many western idioms have their roots in the Bible. One of these idiom expressions is “pulling my hair out of my head.” It is an expression indicating extreme anxiety, frustration, and stress. Ezra was given a verifiable report that many of the Jewish men had disobeyed a command that God had given many years before that they were not to intermingle through marriage with the pagan nations surrounding them. The sole reason for this was so that the faith and convictions about the worship and love of God would not be compromised and lessened. The years that they were in captivity in Babylon resulted in a multitude of Jews breaking this command. When Ezra heard this report, he literally pulled the hair out of his head and his beard. This report left him speechless, overwhelmed, and anxious. What stressful situations make you feel like pulling your hair out?
Does the defaming of God’s name make you feel like pulling your hair out?
We are told that the Lord’s name is to be honored from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. God’s name is the holiest and most sacred of all names. His name is higher than the Heavens. His name is to be exalted and lifted by all people, but especially by the people of God. The third commandment tells us that the name of the Lord is not to be taken in vain. Yet, sadly we live in a world where swearing and the taking of the name of the Lord is profaned. When God’s name is profaned, how does this affect you? Does it make you sad? Does the foolishness of sinful cursing make you feel like pulling your hair out?
Does the despising of the Spirit’s voice make you feel like pulling your hair out?
The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Teacher. He dwells within each child of God at the moment of conversion. However, the Spirit thrives best in our lives when we are sensitive to His voice and seek to live a Spirit-filled life. When the Spirit is grieved because we have given place to Satan and have allowed bitterness, anger, wrath, malice, evil speaking, unkindness, and unforgiveness to reign in us, we are doing despite to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is grieved and quenched in His power and influence in us. Does it bother you when the Spirit is ignored and rejected?
Does the disobedience of God’s commandments make you feel like pulling your hair out?
Ezra was perplexed that the Jews were defiled right before sacrifices were to be made. Many of them approached the newly constructed temple hoping to worship the Lord as their forefathers did, but their lives needed cleansing and forgiveness. Ezra felt anxious about the large number of people living in disobedience. Are you close enough to God that your sins as well as the sins of the people of this land have separated between you and God? Does widespread disobedience make you feel like pulling your hair out?
The expression "pulling our hair out" is symbolic of a contrite and broken heart. The Lord is nigh unto those who are broken and contrite. It depicts remorse over sin and rebellion. If more of God’s people lived with this kind of disposition, revival would be recurring and widespread in our lives and churches.
Don’t allow your life to become indifferent to the sin of our society. Like Ezra, have a heart for God that is always tender and teachable.
Have a tender-hearted God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Judges 8-9