Shut the door on doubts…

Occasionally I pray this from the Bible, always expecting an answer yet dreading it:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

One way God answers is by dreams. In them, I’m doing something that shocks me and makes me feel shame when I wake up. If I question God about it, He usually replies with something like, “Would you rather find out your sinfulness in real life?”

I had a dream like that last night. It repeats in various forms and this time I woke up doubting that God would ever purify my selfishness to the point that this dream would never again happen. However, today’s devotional took a bull’s eye shot at that notion. It was about the selfishness of doubting, saying that to some people doubting God is a luxury, a ‘poor me’ attitude that is just as hard to give up as any self-centered indulgence.

The author says, “Do not your doubts come trooping to your door like a company of sympathizing friends who appreciate your hard case and have come to console you? Is it no luxury to sit down with them, entertain them, listen to their arguments, and join in with their condolences? Wouldn’t it be real self-denial to turn from them and refuse to hear a word they have to say? Try it and see.”

This author gives the example of brooding over someone’s unkindness that produces that ‘poor me, how I have suffered’ focus that turns love for God into a ‘God has forsaken me, does not love me, and I am too sinful for Him to care for and transform.’ All that self-pity is actually easier to live with than the sinfulness He exposes and the obedience He is asking for!

This brings to mind the faith of Abraham when he was commanded by God to slay his son, the one through whom God's promise depended on. How could God bless this patriarch as the father of nations if his son was dead? But not a shred of self-pity in this man. He took his boy up a mountain and laid him on an altar. Only then did God intervene and provide a substitute sacrifice.

My selfishness in this dream is about being willing to sacrifice everything I want and serve the Lord alone. No other gods, no idols, no ‘I wants’ that go against what He wants. I know the importance of obedience. The OT puts it this way:

“If you are not careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting. And he will bring upon you again all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. Every sickness also and every affliction that is not recorded in the book of this law, the Lord will bring upon you, until you are destroyed. Whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God. And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you… but the Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul. Your life shall hang in doubt before you… (Deuteronomy 28:58–67)

In contrast, the NT considers the obedience of Christ as being the offering to God that His people have never been able to make. In other words, my sins and selfishness are covered by the sacrifice of Christ and my response is to be like His…

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2)
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. (Hebrews 13:15)

Walk in love, worshiping and praising God, obeying as He gives the will and the ability to do so. Stop that ‘poor me’ which can be an excuse to not say no to something that He shows me as a sinful attitude. Of course I cannot rid myself of it, but I can confess it rather than make excuses for it.

PRAY: Jesus, the flesh is always trying to rise from the dead. Again, I need Your saving power to not only put the old nature in its grave, but also replace it with love for others and praise to You.

What am I relying on?

Our adult children have pets that are their “babies” and much loved. They also have collections of things they enjoy. Maybe more than thirty relocations is the reason I don’t have pets or collections, but that is not quite true. As a quilter, I ‘collect’ fabric (called a stash) and am also an ‘information gatherer’ to the point that my PC hard drive is loaded with pictures and documents. To simplify my life, I’m realizing the difficulty of purging my ‘collection’ of files. The fabric is easy as I can make more quilts, but the information is not as easy to sacrifice.

Abraham had a tougher time of it. His faith was strong in God’s promises. However, all of them involved his son Isaac. Even though “he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6) God tested him by asking him to sacrifice his son.

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:1–2)

That was a far greater challenge than giving away a mug collection, or purging familiar and often beloved files, or saying goodbye to pets. What did this man of faith do?

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:3–8)

The NT describes it this way:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. (Hebrews 11:17–19)

We know the sad stories of hoarders. One keeps empty boxes, and his house is filled. He says someone might need them someday. Another keeps everything because she loves her stuff. I keep my ‘info’ because I might need it someday? But why then bother with Google? MacArthur says that a willingness to sacrifice precious things is proof of genuine faith. If I needed something, would not God provide it?

Abraham passed the test: he was willing to make the sacrifice. He did as Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

God asks for far more than collections, far more than even our sons and daughters. He says:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)

He wants my life, not just my stuff but all that I rely on. When need to know something or find direction; God does not even need Google to supply it. While I may need to keep my family’s favorite recipes because I tend to forget, I don’t need every recipe ever written because God answers prayer for even that need — when it arises. I could write this proverb like this:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your collection of information, but In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will supply whatever you need. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

PRAY: Jesus, this is another answer to prayer. My faith should not be in my ability to find information and file it, but trusting You to give me what I need when it is needed. This may seem an insignificant sacrifice to others, but for me, it is as challenging as if You told me to put all my books in a bonfire. I want to simplify my life and plainly You are in agreement with that.

PONDER: Deuteronomy 28 lists the blessings of trusting God. Read it again and realize I do not need anything or anyone else to rely on when needs pop up. God is enough.

 

 

 

A holy Priesthood

 

Today’s devotional is about a phrase taken from this verse: “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5) Christians are a spiritual house made up of living stones, yet also a “holy priesthood” that offers spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.

In the OT, the priests typified the atoning and intercessory work of the coming Messiah. In those days, people were thought to not have direct access to God and needed others to represent them before Him. This conception vanishes in the light of Christianity. By virtue of their relation to Christ all believers have direct approach to God. This means what was once a priestly privilege now belongs to all Christians. While some religious denominations still stick to having priests that represent them, no believer needs another to intervene between his soul and the Lord. Every person may and must stand for themselves in personal relation with God. Yet we do pray for one another out of love and a desire to encourage and build up our faith.

When I looked for the duties of priests, most of the hits said Christians share common spiritual characteristics with Old Testament priests but those definitions came from denominations with a hierarchy that puts their church leaders in a special authority over others. Some do this to the point of the priest being the only one who can read and interpret Scripture. This is not a NT concept.

The OT priests offered acceptable sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. Since Jesus is our acceptable sacrifice, this work is no longer necessary. However, some of the characteristics of OT priests do apply to NT believers. We are chosen by God, cleansed but not by special ceremonies but by the blood of Christ. We are also clothed in robes of righteousness anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and expected to obey God, love His Word, and walk with Him. The OT says of faithful priests:

True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 2:6-7)

Those qualifications are paralleled in God’s people, now the only true priests. I’m humbled to think how I was chosen by Him from before the foundation of the world, cleansed by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, clothed with the righteousness of Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit. I’m “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

That offering is my whole life. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1) and to live in such a way that God’s people and those yet to be saved are drawn to God:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

This makes the priesthood of believers a high and holy calling. It is not about a special authority over other Christians nor fancy robes and a title. Pointing others to the glory of God requires the power of the Holy Spirit. I cannot do it without Him.

PRAY: Jesus, You did all that the priesthood exists to do. Being called to be part of this Body of priests who believe in You and do Your will is a privilege far beyond a mere title and job description. No Christian can claim a role as priest over other believers as every Christian belongs to this special class. We all have the privilege of reading and interpreting Your Word, of praying for others, of telling people about You. Thinking of others as Your priests also opens me to learn from everyone and be blessed by everyone. What a joy to share this position. I am thankful for the great honor You bestow on all of us who trust You. May we bring glory to Your name.

For Further Study: Read Leviticus 8 and 9 looking for the qualities Christ gives so that His people can be priests and for the differences that should happen because of this amazing status we have.