Delightful Obedience
If you obey the commands of the LORD your G.o.d and walk in his ways, the LORD will establish you as his holy people as he solemnly promised to do. Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the LORD, and they will stand in awe of you.
Deuteronomy 28:9-10
aThereas no such thing as a free lunch.a That is the strong conviction of many men: aIf you want anything youave got to earn it!a It would appear that the Lord was saying this to his people, that the best way to get what they wanted was to be good, and then G.o.d would reward them. After all, he did say, aYou will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your G.o.da (28:2). This way of looking at things falls neatly into line with the all-too-common perception that athereas no such thing as a free lunch,a the perception that G.o.das blessing has to be earned. But that is not the meaning of this Scripture.
All Scripture must be read in context and in harmony with other Scriptures. The context of all the Mosaic legislation was the covenant. The covenant was a divine initiative by which G.o.d freely offered to undeserving people blessings they could never merit and most certainly never earn. He did this out of pure love and sovereign grace. Israel was required to respond to G.o.das aamazing gracea in humble trust and then out of grat.i.tude to live a life of loving obedience. Grace would lead to faith demonstrated in obedience.
The same principle applies to us today and is clearly spelled out in the New Testament. Paul told the Ephesians, aG.o.d saved you by his special favor when you believed. . . . Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done. . . . He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long agoa (Eph. 2:8-10). Obedience, both for the ancient Israelites and for us, is not the means whereby we merit blessing. It is the evidence that we are grateful for blessings received.
Obedience motivated by grat.i.tude is warm, ungrudging, wholehearted. Obedience born of necessity is often reluctant, truculent, and calculating. Sadly, even the recipients of grace can slip into the att.i.tude of those who are strangers to such mercy. They then become candidates for discipline and censure. But the goal is always that they rediscover the undeserved benefits of grace and the unlimited blessings of obedience.
There is no joy for G.o.d, or us, in an att.i.tude that says, aIall do it if I must,a or aIall do this if you will do that.a But there is joy in saying, aIall do this, Lord, because you have done so much for me. Iam grateful, and I know this brings you delight. Thank you. I love you.a Many men find obedience a drag, but G.o.dly men find doing what G.o.d asks a delight.
October 15
TO READ: Psalm 74
Prayer for a Dark Land
O G.o.d, why have you rejected us forever? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture? Remember that we are the people you chose in ancient times, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession! And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.
Psalm 74:1-2
The Promised Land, once so full of promise, was now afull of darkness and violencea (74:20). The temple so beautifully designed and exquisitely crafted was no more, and the walls of the city lay in ruins, the gates chopped down like so much firewood (74:3-8). The people of the land languished far away in exile, bemoaning their fate, weeping bitter tears of regret, and praying deep prayers full of longing. All that they had hoped for had failed, and they had only themselves to blame.
But one thing bothered the exiled of Israel (74:1): Had G.o.d finally abandoned them permanently? There were no miracles to suggest the Lord was still interested, no powerful prophets presenting words from G.o.das throne (74:9). The heavens were silent and the earth was desolate. Had G.o.d finally and irrevocably abandoned them?
The question is valid. Does there come a point in a nationas history where the Lord says, aEnough is enough! Iam through with those peoplea? The history of G.o.das people, which the psalmist mentions, strongly suggests that G.o.d is willing to forgive and restore a nation in response to the prayers of his people (see also 2 Chron. 7:14).
The writer of this psalm reminded the Lord that the Lord had a great history of deliverance (74:2), that his holy name was being abused (74:7, 10), that his people were in dire straits (74:19), that his enemies were having a field day (74:18), and that he had made certain promises that he must not forget to fulfill (74:20).
So what of the nations of the world? Are there dark places where light should be shining? Does violence prevail where people should be living in peace? Of course! And what should G.o.das people be doing? They should be calling on the Lord, reviewing the history of G.o.das workings, counting the promises of his grace, and rebuking his enemies. Like humble doves among predators, G.o.das people should be living wisely and winsomely in his power, ready not only to pray but also to play an active part in the answers to their own prayers. It is the apoor and needy onesa who will eventually give praise, it is the weak and foolish ones through whom G.o.d works (1 Cor. 1:26-29), and it is those who call on his name who become the agents of his working (see Neh. 1:11).
When G.o.d moves in a dark and violent land, he begins with his people and works through them. So instead of cursing the darkness, let us call on the Lord and gear up for actiona"for him!
October 16
TO READ: Deuteronomy 30:1-20
Choose Life
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! Choose to love the LORD your G.o.d and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Life is full of choices. Some are made for you, the rest you make. You cannot choose to be born, but you can choose how to live. You are not free to select your DNA, but you can choose to pursue an MBA. The choices you make shape the life you will live.
Before the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, Moses required them to choose how they would respond to G.o.d and to face what would happen as a resulta"choices and consequences. He also explained that if they strayed from G.o.das path and were disciplined by him, they should return to him and be reconciled to him. But whether sooner or later, the choice between life and death was clear: loving G.o.d meant life, while turning away from him meant death.
We today still need to confront courageously the choice between life and death, blessing and cursing. Blessing is not automatic. It does not flow unbidden into a manas life. Blessing comes when we respond affirmatively to the Lordas call to live obediently. Echoing Moses, Jesus said, aYou must love the Lord your G.o.d with all your heart, all your soul, and all your minda (Matt. 22:37), and he commanded potential disciples, aFollow me.a In words similar to Mosesa, Jesus warned people, aYou can enter G.o.das Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to h.e.l.l is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find ita (Matt. 7:13-14). G.o.d still lays before us the options of trusting obedience and willful disobedience, and he outlines the results of the options: Life eternal on the one hand, perishing on the other.
G.o.d bestows upon man the ultimate privilege of choosing freely which way he will go. Of course, there would be no choice to make if G.o.d had not first chosen to reach out to us. So manas freedom to choose is a gift of grace. G.o.d chose to offer us life, then he chose to let us choose. Now the choice is ours! G.o.d offers the gift of eternal life to anyone who will repent and believe. G.o.d calls us to respond. If we obey his call, if we choose to go his way, we receive the gift. And itas the biggest gift ever offered to those who face the biggest choice ever made.
October 17
TO READ: Judges 4:1-24
Visionary Leadership
Barak told her, aI will go, but only if you go with me!a aVery well,a she replied, aI will go with you. But since you have made this choice, you will receive no honor. For the Lordas victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.a So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.
Judges 4:8-9
Leadership comes in many styles, and leaders come in various shapes and sizes. Not all leaders are big, bold, bra.s.sy, and bossy. Some are quiet, humble, gentle, and caring. Some leaders develop in old age, while others appear to be gifted leaders from adolescence. G.o.d plays no favorites when it comes to leadership. In fact, sometimes he seems to delight in raising up the unexpected and appointing the unlikely. Like Deborah!
King Jabin had been a thorn in Israelas side for twenty years. During this time, Deborah rose to a position of prominence as judge and prophet. Then the children of Israel cried out to the Lord in their distress. In response, G.o.d spoke through Deborah and commanded Barak to fight King Jabinas army. G.o.d even promised to give Barak victory. But Barak did not want to go alone. He said he would only go into battle if Deborah went with him. This she did, the battle was won, King Jabin was overthrown, and Israel lived peacefully for forty years.
This incident says much about leadership. The Lord had clearly imparted gifts of discernment and communication to Deborah. As she exercised these gifts, she was confirmed as judge and prophet. From her remarks to Barak, it seems clear that it was unusual for a woman to be in her position in that culture. Some say she was only in this position because Barak was such a weak man, but she was a judge long before Barak came on the scene. It would seem more appropriate to say that G.o.d sovereignly raised up a woman as a leader because he wanted this woman to lead!
On the other hand, Barak is often portrayed as weak and ineffectual, but he did rally ten thousand men who followed him when he led them into battle, and he did win! So much for weakness and ineffectiveness! It would seem more appropriate to say that he put more aconfidence in human efforta (Phil. 3:3) than in the Spirit of G.o.d. His eyes of faith were perhaps a bit clouded, while Deborahas vision was strong and clear. As a result, Deborah warned him that the honor of victory would accrue to a woman rather than to him, and that is precisely what occurred.
From this we can see that leadership is more about vision than gender. G.o.dly leaders are willing to walk by faith rather than by sight. They can plunge into the unknown trusting G.o.das word. People will follow such leaders, and as leadership is all about afollowship,a this is critical. If they arenat following, you arenat leading.
October 18
TO READ: 1 Samuel 13:1-14
Doing Right under Pressure
Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didnat come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, aBring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!a And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.
1 Samuel 13:8-9
Many a good man has failed under pressure. His cash flow depleted with critical bills due, he aborrowsa his bossas funds with the intention of returning them in a couple of days. Or with his job on the line and productivity down, he abendsa the rules, alters the facts, and saves the daya"or so it seems, until he is found out.
King Saul is a great example. He had been instructed by Samuel, his spiritual mentor, to go to Gilgal and wait seven days for Samuel to come and bless the troops and lead them in worship before they went into battle (10:8). Gilgal was remote, a safe haven from their mortal enemies, the Philistines, so the time could be spent in careful, unhindered preparation. But the Philistines gathered a huge army and went after Saul. They came and camped at Micmash, which is just a stoneas throw from Gilgal. So Saulas troops became restive and began to desert. As Saul saw his combat force dissipating, he panicked. In direct contravention of his instructions from the Lord, Saul went ahead with the spiritual exercises, which were not his domain. Just as he was concluding them, Samuel arrived, roundly rebuked Saul for his action, and advised him that his days as king were numbered.
The pressure revealed the faults. Saul had a tendency to panic and not trust, and a proclivity to take things into his own hands rather than to believe that the Lord had things under control. He bypa.s.sed obedience when the end seemed to justify the means. Saulas lack of faith led to direct disobedience of G.o.d, a sure recipe for disaster for the leader of G.o.das chosen people. He had to go.
Saulas fatal flaws were neither unusual nor uncommon. Similar faults appear regularly in men under pressure. In times of stress, subst.i.tuting personal agendas and human effort for trusting obedience and obedient faith is like a skydiver dispensing with a parachute and subst.i.tuting flapping his arms. Both will make a brave show, but neither will achieve the desired objective. Both are a free fall to disaster. Much better to keep the parachute of faith open.
October 19
TO READ: 1 Samuel 17:32-51
The Fight of Faith
David shouted in reply, aYou come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almightya" the G.o.d of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.a 1 Samuel 17:45
The life of faith is a battle. Jesus warned his disciples that the world in which they were living had rejected and persecuted him, so they should expect to be rejected and persecuted themselves. In addition, a believer recognizes that his motives are not always lily-white, and his desires all too easily degenerate into l.u.s.ts that he has to counter. Added to that, the evil one, whose objective is to subvert the purposes of G.o.d, hates those who have become obstacles to his plans by allying themselves with Christ. So our typical enemiesa"the world, the flesh, and the devila"ensure that the life of faith is a battle.