Keep it? or toss it?

Leviticus 19; Psalms 23–24; Ecclesiastes 2; 1 Timothy 4

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:1–2)

What does holy mean? Most would say it is about morality. Some would say it is about being separate from whatever is not holy or pure. These definitions are inadequate. It is better to say that God is unique; there is no other or nothing like Him. From this, He says all that belong exclusively to Him is designated holy, unique.

In the OT descriptions, things like censers, priestly garments and other items are said to be holy, not because they are divine but because they were restricted in their use to God and his purposes, and thus are separate from other uses. When people are said to be holy, this is for the same reason. Holy people are those who belong to God, serve Him and function with respect to His purposes not their own or any other purposes.

R.E. Clements wrote, “Every biblical statement about God carries with it an implied demand upon men to imitate Him in daily living.” This means ethics and theology are tied together because my moral life and all else about my life must rest on the holiness and unchanging nature of God.

Deep thoughts. I am convicted. I just spent precious time trying to delete something off my computer, a big distraction from spending precious time with the Lord. Does holiness mean that my time is set apart for Him and not frittered away in distractions? I’m easily lured from the most important tasks. Procrastination? Eyes off the things of the Lord?

The psalmist had a holy heart. He wrote how God is like a shepherd who satisfies the in adequacies of His sheep, leading them to rest and fulfilment, restoring our depletions and leading me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:1–3) Surely, I miss much when, like a sheep, I wander off and become frustrated in my pursuits of things the Shepherd did not want for me.

The writer of Ecclesiastes knew the frustrations too. He wrote:

And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:10–11)

Solomon viewed all his labor with distaste. He hated all his toil and viewed the work of his life with despair because there was no permanence to it or to whatever he accomplished through it. Though what he accomplished and accumulated might survive him, he would have no control over how it would be used after his death. Anyone who inherited it and had not worked for it, and who consequently had no real appreciation for it, might be a fool who would squander it. So Solomon declared toil to be futile or meaningless and the loss of its fruits a great misfortune.

This gets personal, not just about an hour of wasted time but a pile of my work pulled from file drawers. My daughter wanted me to save the work I’ve written over the years into digital format. As I do that, I’m finding scads of teaching material and notes from classes taken. Do I keep those too? Some of it is excellent stuff. I will not use it again, but if I put it online, will anyone use it? Or is that another waste of time and effort? I know the lament of Solomon about the value of past efforts. Keeping it seems like vanity however most of it is the result of obedience to the commands of God.

1 Timothy 4 ends with these words:

Do not neglect the gift you have . . . . Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:14–16)

APPLY: Wasting an hour turns into a bigger issue — this question I have about all the unpublished but well-used material that I don’t know what to do with. I need to be clear, Lord. Do I put it online to freely share? Or do I have a bonfire? I’m still not sure if this is ‘vanity’ or ‘holy’ stuff that belongs to You. I do not want to waste time saving it if You are not telling me to do that. Yet I do not want to discard it if You want it saved and available. Show me what to do.

Those who fall away . . .

RS made a profession of faith as a child, was baptized at age 9, attended church until he started college, then stopped. He began doing things that the Bible forbids and within a few years, his life was no different than most of his peers. While I believe that God finishes what He starts and that true salvation cannot be reversed, this person’s life is discouraging. Is there any hope that he will turn back? Is he a prodigal that has not yet “come to his senses” or is he an apostate that never really believed in the first place?

God knows human hearts and I don’t. However, this is the passage that I read this morning. Can I conclude that these words are describing this person?

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:4–10)

John is separating the sheep from the goats. He is marking those with true faith as those who continue with Christ and are marked by spiritual growth. This does not mean no sin but less and less of it with more righteousness. Growing Christians are less apt to fall into deception and have more understanding of who they are in Christ. They are people in whom Christ lives and that powerful life makes itself more and more evident.

The story Jesus told of the prodigal does not tell how long the runaway son was in a “far country” feeding pigs or how long it took him to realize that he was being foolish. It does not describe the boy’s relationships with others who fed pigs, only his older brother’s accusations that he wasted his inheritance on prostitutes. It was not an encouraging description nor did it show any hope for that boy.

I waver when it comes to my prayers for RS. I don’t know how to pray because I don’t know where he belongs. He isn’t as far gone as the biblical prodigal, but he does fit some of the description in John of an unsaved person. (Then again, I suppose my own life is like that at times.)

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Lord Jesus, this isn’t the only ‘prodigal’ that I know whose current lifestyle sends the message that their childhood profession of faith means little or nothing. I could use some encouragement for all of them. Mostly I’d like to know how to pray effectively, knowing the greatest need in their lives. Help me with this in whatever way You know best.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- that I can feel sorrow for the lost and the wayward rather than not caring at all.

- Jesus knows and He is sovereign.

- getting my Wacom table to work.

- finishing half of the quilting on a twin-size quilt.

- Basa fillets steamed with orange slices – yum.

- only one spam phone call today (don’t answer those weird numbers).

Godly Choices?

This week I’ve been trying to decide a purchase. It to my creative bent but the big question is will I have time to use it. I am already creative with art quilts and other things. To use this purchase would require additional time and energy which is scarce these days. If I bought it, would it be a waste of money?

I asked my hubby. He said that if I purchased this product and never used it, I would be out a small amount of money. If I didn’t buy it, I might wonder for a long time if I should have. (It is on sale for only a few days). His logic didn’t answer my real question: Why do I want it? Is this an opportunity or a temptation?

Yesterday’s devotions were about temptation. It does not come from God and usually reveals a weakness in me. This morning in my ‘read through the Bible’ passage, Jesus was tempted by Satan who offered Him the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship him. Is this where my desire is coming from? As soon as I read it, I was willing to drop the idea, but then my devotional reading put me back in James where I read this:

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:16–18)

Is this desire to be more creative a good gift from above that God can use for His glory? Or is it the enemy trying to deceive me into something that will distract me from doing the will of God and put extra pressures in my life?

I know that whatever my decisions involve, I’m to be yielded to God, willing to do what He asks or tells me rather than insisting on one way or the other. The problem is being uncertain what God wants me to do.  When I thought this might be the devil dangling part of his kingdom in front of me, I was abhorred yet a little disappointed. James says to ask for wisdom but not be double minded about it.

I prayed several times asking God to clear the confusion. The Bible says He is not the source of confusion and He will answer my prayers. Later in the day, the Lord reminded me of the word I’d asked for 2019. He gave me PEACE and an acrostic to help me make decisions. It looks like this:

PRIORITIES – Put the important stuff first

EGO ISSUES – Will it stroke my ego or glorify God?

ADVICE – Check it out with godly friends who I trust.

COMPETENCE – Is it something God has gifted me to do?

ETERNAL – Will it produce something of eternal value?

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Lord, this purchase is not a priority. I’m not sure its use will glorify You. It doesn’t seem to involve an ego-trip but only one person said to go for it. I am skilled in this area, but only You know if it will produce something of eternal value. My time is nearly filled with activities that You have assured I should do. I’m still on the fence so will keep praying.

Today’s thankful list . . .

A lovely ‘sew day’ with quilt guild members as we designed and assembled charity quilts.

Sunshine that mocked the wind.

Color. Life would be dull without it.

Friendships.

Email and texting messages.