Caution: human wisdom at work
As we have been talking about obedience and its importance to God, let’s talk about one roadblock that interferes with true obedience. Have you ever taken a multiple-choice exam, narrowed the choices to two possible answers, and still picked wrong? Even worse, have you ever circled the right answer only to talk yourself into changing your response at the last moment? This is evidence enough of the limitations of human understanding. If we work hard enough, we can talk ourselves into and out of any situation. As long as something “makes sense” in our minds, we are willing to move forward. The first roadblock to obedience is our human logic. It can prove to be detrimental to our ability to obey God, especially given His tendency to give commands that defy logic. I mean, we are talking about the God who told Peter to walk on water. That literally makes no sense. Abram and Sarai are perfect examples of the way we sometimes compensate for what we don’t understand. Due to their age, it was hard for this couple to truly believe that God could keep his word and give them a son. After waiting a little while and not seeing results, Sarai offered her servant Hagar to be a surrogate mother. Pause. Have you ever felt inadequate for what God spoke over you and tried to give the dream to someone else to carry? You didn’t think you were qualified so you passed it to someone you thought was better? Guess what, God fully knew you and what you were capable of, and He said what he said!
The result of Sarai and Abram’s reliance on their own wisdom was a child born outside of the perfect will of God. What relationship, job, business deal have you birthed outside of God’s perfect will? Instead of trying to compensate for the scary things God calls us to with our own logic, He wants us to surrender our doubts and fears, trading them for complete dependence on His timing and power to bring it to pass. It doesn’t have to make sense for you to obey. In this season, let’s declare “Lord, I don’t know how but if you send me, I’ll go.”
Prayer:
God, sometimes I forget that your mind goes way beyond how I think. When it doesn’t make sense to me, I struggle to follow what you tell me. I know that when I act in my own wisdom, I can still pick wrong. I want to trust that you know what’s best. Today I surrender to your wisdom. I love you more than my own wisdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Obedience really is that important.
|1 Samuel 13:7-14|
Have you ever been in an argument with somebody and they say “it’s not even that serious”? It can make us feel that our values aren’t relevant to those we care about. Disobedience really is that deep to God. God reveals so much of his character, values, and patterns in the Old Testament. One such value is obedience. This value particularly is very prevalent in the Old Testament. Some people assume that because we are currently under grace, that the Old Testament principles are no longer relevant to their lives. This could not be further from the truth. Jesus did not negate the Old Testament, he fulfilled it. Everything in the Old Testament points to the need for a Savior. I wonder how many times He says “keep my commands” throughout scripture. That shows the priority he places on obedience. It’s so important that, in today’s passage, Saul was appointed and approved by God, yet when he stepped outside of God’s order, God immediately had his replacement ready (David). To most of us, God's consequences can seem like an exaggeration or over-reaction. However, it’s not always that disobedience is caused by blatant rebellion; it is the underlying arrogance that assumes that we know better than God. In order for Saul to disobey God, he had to do two things that we all fall prey to at times:
He was aware. In order to disobey, it suggests that we were aware of what the instruction was and there’s no confusion about what God asked of us. Saul knew that he was supposed to wait for Samuel before offering anything to God.
He relied on his own wisdom. When Samuel returns, Saul’s justification of his actions (1 Samuel 13:11-12) was basically “you were not where you were supposed to be and trouble was coming, so I did what I had to do.” It is fairly easy to obey God’s commands under normal circumstances, but the real proof of a surrendered heart is one that is obedient even in the face of trouble.
Think about your own life. Has there been a time when God gave you clear instructions but you allowed the circumstances to justify your disobedience? What were the consequences? Later we will learn about God’s mercy and forgiveness, but first, we must understand the weight God places on obedience and disobedience.
Prayer:
Lord, I have sinned. There are things you are telling me to do even now that I have chosen not to obey. There are times when I feel justified in my disobedience because the circumstances are less than ideal. Please help me to surrender my will to yours. Your ways are higher and only you are God. I do not want to forfeit the plans you have for me because of my own arrogance.
Are you a Ride-or-die?
“Peter asked, ‘Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ Then Jesus answered, ‘Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!’” (John 13:37-38)
In our culture, there is a version of loyalty that seems to outweigh logic and concern for consequences. This manner of loyalist, deemed a “ride or die” is an aspiration to some and an extreme to others. Some might argue that Simon Peter was truly a ride-or-die for Jesus. One of the closest of Jesus’ disciples, he was the one who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah (Matt. 16:16). He was also the one willing to (literally) step out on faith and follow Jesus’ voice by walking on water (Matt. 14:29). Peter was a “rider” for Jesus throughout his entire ministry, so why does Jesus question his follow-through? Doesn't Peter have the credibility to say he would lay down his life for Jesus? Hadn’t he already done this by following Jesus for 3 years, giving up everything?
Isn’t that what we say about ourselves? Things like “I love you more than anything God!” and “God is my number one priority” are such admirable words, just like Peter. And while people are impressed by words, God knows what we’ll actually do. See, Jesus couldn’t just be flattered by the idea that someone would choose him because he knew that real trouble has the ability to shake even the most loyal friend.
This is not a story of condemnation because we know Jesus models the Christian’s response to betrayal: forgiveness (more on that tomorrow). We know that he later used the same Peter to build what we now know as the Church. No, this is not a guilt message, but rather a warning against pride. Each of us, no matter how loyal, has the potential to deny Jesus if the circumstances push us. Especially as the persecution of the Church draws near, let us humble ourselves and pray for strength to really be “ride or die” for Christ. This is why maturing in Christ is so important. At some point, we must become resolved to deny the sins that have been tripping us up for years, so that we can build muscle for the bigger fights for the Kingdom.
Prayer:
Lord, I have sinned against you. In the moments when I think “I could never,” I do that exact thing. I want to be past sin entirely but I am a flawed human. Thank you for your unconditional love that doesn’t throw me away after I break your heart. Please help me to endure the tests of this life so that I may increase in faith and bring you glory. I love you more than the prideful assumption that I will never be “that bad”. I need you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Who do you love?
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16)
Nobody questions the love of a couple on their wedding day as they exchange rings and vows. Their love is not under review on Valentine’s Day when they are being extra sweet to each other. No, their love is proven on hard days when they choose to remain faithful to the flawed human they committed to.
Who or what do you love the most? Your verbal response is likely the ideal response (God, holiness, etc.), but very few people are fully honest here. Who wants to be honest that they love money, applause, and comfortability the most? Where our words tell who we’d like to love, our actions tend to show the truth. When given the choice between purity and sending that late-night text, the truth comes out. When choosing to either spend time in prayer or continue scrolling for another hour, the truth is revealed. That knot in your stomach is the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Our actions either prove or disprove our love for God. This is not an opportunity to make you feel guilty, but rather to make us all, myself included, aware of each invitation throughout the day to choose God. As always, God gives us His word as an exemplar. Every moment that we are allowed to inhale and exhale is evidence that God himself made a choice. When we were still lost in sin, unable to choose Him, He chose to send Jesus to die in our place. This also teaches us that choosing him won’t always feel good.
Where human understanding is limited, God is omniscient (all-knowing). This means He didn’t choose you without knowing all the details. No, He knew you fully and completely and chose you still. If a perfect God could choose an imperfect you, how much more can you strive to choose Him?
Prayer:
God, thank you for choosing me. In spite of every way you knew I would fall, you chose to love me anyway. I repent for moments I chose other people and things, even myself, over you. Please help me to recognize opportunities to choose you today. I really want to mean it when I say I love you more. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Obedience.
“Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.’ Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey…” (Genesis 22:2-3)
The song Obedience by Lindy Cofer & Circuit Rider Music says “I will love You with my ‘yes’ and with my obedience.” Love for God is reflected in our obedience. Not that we could be obedient once and it makes us perfect forever, but that each individual act of obedience would be the sum total of our love for God. In this passage, Abraham does not express his love for God in a verbal “I love you,” nor is it equated with a shout or dance in church. Instead, his declaration of love is embedded in his immediate obedience to God’s instruction. While he had only just received this child from God after 25 years of waiting, his response to God is shocking: he asks no questions and simply obeys. Do you love God more than the blessing? Do you trust God enough to obey without question? I know I struggle here! It’s one thing to love God enough to wait for the blessing and sing songs like “I don’t mind waiting on you, Lord”. It’s another thing entirely to finally touch your blessing and be willing to surrender it completely at any moment. Even as Abraham described this major moment of sacrifice to his servants, he called it worship (Genesis 22:5). Think about that. When we sacrifice our will, our desires, and our valued possessions to God, that is our worship. That is how we tell God how much he’s worth to us. That’s how we tell Him that we love him more: we are willing to give it up if He asks. The crazy part about this story is that we know God is against the murder of the innocent, especially child sacrifice. What He was asking of Abraham literally made no sense. Nevertheless, Abraham trusted God despite what logic said.
What about you? What is God asking you to do in obedience without question? Maybe it’s giving up something you know has been taking up time and focus from Him. Maybe it’s giving up the bitterness and unforgiveness you feel entitled to. Maybe it’s not giving up something but it’s trusting Him in a new season. Whatever it is, remember your obedience translates your love. Your disobedience translates……
Prayer:
Lord, help me! Like the disciples, increase my faith! Help me to know you, trust you, and love you above all else. I want to love you more than anything, but at times my own understanding of what makes sense gets in the way. I know that without faith it is impossible to please you. Please help me to obey you fully and immediately. I love you more…