Blessings for obedience?

And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men. And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests’ places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.” ’ ” (1 Samuel 2:27–36)

The Bible says no one can earn their salvation. However, both OT and NT are clear that there is blessing for those who obey God. This is true, not because the blessing is earned, but because living as God tells us IS the blessing. His ways cause life to be different than does living as I think best cannot do.

In other words, if I ignore God, the consequences will not be pleasing. That is why He tells me not to ignore Him. This is a bit like telling a child not to touch the stove. If that child does it anyway, the pain is not punishment; it is the result of that choice.

Eli did not discipline his sons and they did not respect him or the Lord. They suffered the consequences. As a wise preacher said, “You are free to make choices but you cannot choose the consequences.”

The matter could be about this life’s events and small or long-lasting. Or it could be about choosing to obey God with far-reaching consequences. Eli was not lost because he disobeyed or saved because he obeyed. However his life and family destiny were changed. He lost his sons and whatever heritage he may have otherwise had. How sad, and yet for little Samuel, his life was never the same… 

Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (1 Samuel 3:9) And he did what he was told. And he was blessed.

Jesus, You remind me of regrets and second chances, of Your desire that I do what You ask for my own good, and the importance of taking You seriously. You can show mercy regarding the selfishly-made consequences, but You have the wisdom and the right to make those choices.

 

Cause and Effect

If I eat too much salt, my feet swell. If I watch violent movies, I might have nightmares. Today’s reading reminds me that God is not punishing me, only showing me the consequences of foolish choices. The world and the human psyche work in certain ways. He knows that and tells us to live accordingly. He is not saying ‘My way or the highway’ but ‘do this and live well’ because He wants the best for us. The devotion writer puts it this way:

If a man eats unsuitable food, he will have indigestion. An ignorant person may say that it was the wrath of God that brought on his indigestion, but we who understand the laws of health know that his indigestion is simply the result of the unsuitable food he has eaten. Similarly the sickly spiritual condition of so many Christians is not, as they sometimes think, a direct infliction of God’s displeasure but is simply and only the necessary consequence of the unsuitable and indigestible spiritual food on which they have been feeding.

Good parents think like this. If we know the ‘rules’ of nutrition and the effects of suitable food, we feed our kids a balanced diet, not candy, pop, and potato chips. They might want those things and some children throw temper tantrums at the checkout when mom will not grant them a treat from the shelves beside the till, but the child who trusts mom’s judgment is okay with a loving NO. This is how I am supposed to respond to the will of God, even the parts that restrict my I-wants and tell me that I cannot indulge. Does He not know what is best for His creation?

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. (Psalm 139:1–6)

Of course His knowledge is too wonderful for me and I cannot attain it. My IQ and all the advice and research done in the world does not even come close to the intimate knowledge of God concerning every person on earth. He knows what I need and knows what will harm me. My part is like the child who trusts mom when she says NO.

We left on holidays just over a week ago. The Lord put it in my head to stop eating desserts and other sugary food during this time. I have a sweet tooth that I blame on habit; growing up on a farm, we always had dessert. However, I sensed this was God's idea and good for me. The surprise? Despite eating in restaurants and lots of visuals with sweet stuff, I have not had any desire to eat it. This is the power of God for my good.

The same principle helps with shopping. We are at a location where prices of everything we see is half or less than what we pay at home. Besides that, it all looks good, appealing to my delight in well-designed whatevers. However, the Holy Spirit nudges me constantly regarding need, never mind the size of my suitcase. His desire for my good does not include adding more stuff when He now has me in a stage of simplifying life. I’m to be purging, not collecting or hoarding — and this too is for my well-being. He wants me to guard my wallet as well as my waistline.

PRAY: In this place, temptations abound. Yet I realize Jesus, that Your Spirit can keep me contented with obeying You, regardless of what gets dangled before me. Besides, You are replacing anything I might covet with other wonders, like deer in the backyard, squirrels playing tag under the trees, birds of all colors singing to You, and answers to prayers for seemingly impossible situations. You are almighty God, yet You know and care about even my thoughts and are always guiding me because You want the best for me — me, a sinner saved by grace. Such a wonder!

 

Living this new life…

 
This morning I’m tempted to cut and paste; first from the Bible and then from my devotional book. Yesterday was filled with God’s presence and power — in our worship service, in conversations with others, and in witnessing someone enter the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ. After that, we had a lovely time with family and watched our home team win another game in NHL playoffs. Lots of emotions, much to stimulate my mind and choices.

Today the topic is freedom from the slavery of sin. All this is incredible good news as we see the results in our own lives and the lives of our Christian family. “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:6)
How did this happen? The NT tells the events in the life of Jesus Christ and how that affects our lives. Our choices are expanded. Yes, I can still sin, but first He gives me this option:

For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:10–11)

And with a new way of thinking, I’m also given a new ‘task master’ which is a negative word to describe the One who gave me this new life:

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness… For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:16–23)

While the choice to live in newness of life seems the winner, the Bible warns against the pull to return to life under those old options. It says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

The devotional illustrates how a woman can have a job and is obligated to do what her boss asks, but they love each other and decide to marry her — the relationship changes. Her reason for doing her job is different. While that describes the difference in her motivation, it also describes how her ‘boss’ is no longer the same. Instead of the world, her old nature, and all sorts of other ideas, her life is now in the hands of the Son of God and she is united to Him and His perfect love.

Unfaithfulness to that perfection seems so unlikely, yet it happens. In Christ Jesus the choices of the old life count for nothing. He wants from me faith working through love. I might start well but become hindered from obeying the truth, and that is not His idea. I know that even a little temptation can initiate a big crash. It could come from a worldly desire, or yielding to false teaching, or the pressure of persecution, or lies from the enemy. However, Jesus called me to freedom, and not use that freedom as an opportunity to go back to the habits of my old nature. I’m to love others, even my enemies, and that means being like Jesus. He listens, wants the best for me, pays attention to the details of my life, is always there for me, never puts me to shame…

PRAY: You, Jesus, are wonderful. To be like You is not slavery at all but a joyful way to live. May the delight of being dead to sin always keep me alive to You and reflecting Your love to the world around me, especially to Your children and increasingly to those who need to experience the same freedom You alone can give.

Letting God choose

When Abraham and his nephew Lot stood looking at the land before them, by seniority Abraham had the first choice. He could take the best of the land without violating anything. It was his right to do that. However, Abraham was a man of faith. He trusted God to choose what was best for him.

“Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” (Genesis 13:9)

Lot picked the best of it, the lush and productive land. Abraham was content with that choice because he trusted the Lord. Most of us know the rest of the story. Lot’s choice led him to Sodom and eventually to disaster. Had Abraham taken the Jordan Valley, the story may not have ended the same way, but God knew, and He blessed Abraham saying, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” (Genesis 13:14–17)

Chambers says that the life of faith includes exercising my right to waive my rights — letting God choose for me. This may include the right to protect myself, to choose what is best for me when that choice is not sinful, yet by faith, I can allow God to choose for me.

The examples that come to mind include those times I was asked to lead a Bible study. Then one or two requests to lead other studies came at the same time. None of these choices were wrong, but which one was the best one? I had no way of knowing, and learned that God would guide me. His choice would be the best choice.

Chambers also says that spiritual insight is dulled when “my rights” become the guide for life. I might select a good thing, but God had something better for me. The good is always the enemy of the best. If choosing what is right becomes my standard instead of relying on God to choose for me, I’m putting myself in a place of ‘no growth’ in faith, a place where ‘my way’ comes first.

However, picking my way over God’s way is dangerous because that is a biblical definition of sin . . .

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

Several times, Proverbs says that our ways seem right to us, but they are the way of death! That means that even if my choices are not sinful, putting my own way above the way of the Lord is at the very root of sin. Chambers says the good is the enemy of the best, which is true, but I also need to remember that telling God that I know what is best for me is just as sinful as blatantly disobeying Him.

Choosing God’s ways

2 Chronicles 9:1–10:19, Titus 2:1–8, Psalm 95:1–11, 1 Kings 11:29-39

At opposite ends of the spectrum are two ways of being a king. One will rule with kindness and respect; the other with harshness and discipline. David and Solomon choose the first, but Solomon’s son Rehoboam (the next generation) choose the second.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men, King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” (2 Chronicles 10:12–14)

Rehoboam’s decision had nothing to do with any wisdom in leadership. The results were not good: “So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.” (2 Chronicles 10:19)

However, there is more to the story. In 1 Kings 11:29-39, the Word of God reveals the plan of God. The kingdom would be divided and most of it would go to Jeroboam. This began with Rehoboam’s decision to rule harshly and turn the people against him. What this king intended for evil, God used for His purposes.

I talked with my sister-in-law yesterday about those times we say things we should not have, yet realize God can use them for His purposes. We don’t know what is going on in the hearts of those who hear us, but we do know that God is not bound by our foolishness, just as He was not bound by Rehoboam’s foolishness.

But God’s power is not an excuse for selfish choices. Being disrespectful and having a loose tongue are not the behaviors God desires, even if He can use anything for His plans. Because of His love for me, I’m supposed to choose the other end of the spectrum: “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (Titus 2:7–8)

Rehoboam’s choice of harsh leadership angered God’s people and they resisted him. From that choice, the Davidic kingdom fell apart. History shows that disrespectful leadership, even Christian leadership can cause similar downfalls.

In the final reading, the psalmist, no author given, offers good advice:

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.” (Psalm 95:6–11)

In the first part, the psalmist encourages me to revere and worship God, remembering who I am. The second part is God speaking a warning. When I hear Him speak, I need to keep my heart soft toward Him, not test Him or question His wisdom as He leads me through my wilderness (called life). With God, the pattern of leadership is great kindness and respect, but if that goodness is resisted and rejected, then He will rule with a much heavier hand.

God’s Rewards

When gifts are given or a door held open or a kindness offered, I’m disturbed when those who receive do not say thank you. A grateful heart is important because the Bible says it is the first thing to go when people reject God.

Aside from that, such a response is a reward for the person who makes the offer. The idea of receiving a reward for doing a good thing seems to be built in. Even small children smile and wiggle when someone expresses thanks for what they do.

Thank you is not the only way to reward people.  A good day’s work is rewarded by wages. An athlete might get a medal or a trophy for their efforts. Even the sense of a job well done is reward for some, and a smile from a recipient can go a long way.

Theologians differ on the rewards that God will give, but He definitely rewards those who obey Him. This is stated and restated in Scripture and associated with the return of Jesus Christ.

Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. (Revelation 22:12)

The idea of being repaid by Jesus gives me a sense of anticipation, but also anxiety. I’m aware of the time that I’ve wasted in things that do not matter, and the choices that I’ve made that were frivolous. I’m also extremely conscious of the speed on the clock. The older I get, the faster it seems to move. Jesus’ words, “I am coming soon” do not help that sense of time running out. I not change the past and have less and less time left to build a better life of obedience.

Yesterday we attended Community ChristianChurch in Tamarac, Florida. The youth pastor presented a challenge by first telling us the multitude of choices we face on a constant basis. For instance, there are about 19,000 different ways to order a cup of coffee. Sonic drive-through kiosks have 168,894 beverage choices. He quickly moved to Scripture and showed how God’s people were side-tracked by poor choices. What they choose to listen to or look at often turned them from faith in God.

I can relate. For most of last year, God kept working on me so that I would choose more often to walk by faith instead of by sight. My history has been to pray with great confidence in the power of God, but when I could not see the answer, I lost my confidence. God says that He hears and answers prayer. My choices are to believe Him no matter what I can see, or to believe what I see. Seems like a no brainer, but walking by faith is always a challenge.

The second part of the message was about getting out of my comfort zone. Many times, choices are based on just that. When options come up, I tend to pick the easiest, or the most familiar or comfortable. However, God may be asking me to move into a new zone and trust Him, to again, walk by faith and not by sight, or by what seems the easier route.

The last part of the message included this sentence: “If I say no (to God), God will wait for a generation that will obey, but I will lose the opportunity to live to my potential.” Joshua offered a similar statement to God’s people when they faced new challenges.

Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:14–15)

Choosing to serve God can be about simple things like opening doors for others or saying thank you to express gratitude. It can also be about tasks that are far more challenging. Those that come to mind for me involve hard work. It would be easier to watch television, do puzzles, play computer games, or a whole host of things that are not particularly wrong, but are easy. However, I know they also have no recompense value.

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Lord, I am thankful that You have built-in the idea of rewards. While serving You is about loving You and trusting that Your way is the best, even the only way to live, rewards also motivate me. When I see Your face, at the very least, I hope that You will be smiling.

He chooses my heritage

It isn’t only on Remembrance Day that I think what life might be like had one or both of the two world wars turned out differently. Sometimes I imagine myself in a war zone with danger all around and my house a bombed shell with missing walls. I do this to identify with those to whom this actually happens, to recognize that I am in this place by the grace of God, and to appreciate where and what we have.

Human pride tends to always want bigger, better and more. Instead of being thankful for the blessings I enjoy, gratitude is a discipline that I must work on. I’m thankful for even reminders to be thankful — and this day offers such reminders.

Yesterday, one of the family tree sites offered a free search regarding soldiers so I searched the names of two great uncles who served in WWI. I may have met them as a child yet do not remember their faces. As I read their draft registration and attestation papers, tears filled my eyes. Warriors such as these two soldiers made possible the freedoms that we enjoy.

However, God, who is sovereign over all, has the ultimate say in where I am and what happens to me. The psalmist encourages praise and worship for the One who ultimately has control over our heritage . . . 

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah (Psalm 47:1–4)

I’ve complained about my lot in life and should be ashamed. No matter what my heritage is, I should be satisfied for God has chosen it. Because He is wise and good, that means His choice is the wisest and best choice.

Spurgeon uses the example of a large ship sailing up a river into the harbor, weaving and meandering. Some might ask why the captain does not bring it into the harbor by a straight line. But the captain knows the rocks and sandbanks. He steers the safest course so the ship does not run aground.

So it is with the course of my life. My divine Captain steers me into what seems like depths of affliction with waves of trouble, yet “He knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold” (Job 23:10). His eye is not only on the harbor but on the safest route to get me there.

Spurgeon also points to a simple house plant. Some plants will die if they have too much sunshine. I might be planted where I think I do not have enough of sunshine or delightful blessings. I used to wonder what my life would have been like had I attended art school as my parents wanted, or married differently, or lived in another place, or earned a doctorate but I am put where I am by the love of God. He is in all decisions and opportunities. Because He is wise and loving, He has chosen my heritage. It is in this place where He can produce the most fruit for His glory.

I’m reminded that had any other condition or situation been better for me than the one in which I am in, divine love would have put me in that other place. Instead, God put me in the most suitable circumstances. If I’d have made the choice, no doubt I would be moaning to God to change things, to choose my inheritance for me, because I have learned that my selfish wisdom usually leads to disaster and sorrow.

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11). This is true. No matter my situation, I am learning contentment. The Lord has ordered all things for my good. All things may include a heavy cross or a lighter load, but any burdens are those best suited for me, and have already proven effective to draw me closer to God and more equipped to do His will.

Since these truths are not just for me, my mind goes to those whose lot in life included war and sorrow. I cannot even guess the mind of God and His intentions for those who have (and still are) suffered in these conflicts. Instead of trying to figure out anything that makes sense to me, faith urges me to trust God who also knows the way that everyone else takes too. His eye is on the sparrow. He knows the number of the hairs on our heads. He knows every soul that has suffered and died in wartime and in peace. He is the great king over all the earth, but also the loving shepherd who bids us to draw near and follow Him.

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Lord, how could I ever think that I know better than You when it comes to choosing my lot in life. Vain ambition may have put me in a different place, but it would have not been the best place. Only You know me better than myself. I have made my plans, but You have directed my steps. I am so grateful to be in Your care and to know that the choices You make for me are good choices. Thank You. Please bless those in uniform today, and help them know that You hold their lives in Your precious and loving hands.