To the Work...

Moses Beholding the Promised Land

by Walter Rane

You may have seen this headline last week: Well-known Christian Author, Purity Advocate, Renounces His Faith. Intrigued that someone stepping away from their faith made national news, I clicked on the article. Sadly, the author, once celebrated for promoting purity before marrige, had just come through a divorce himself. And in this dark time in his life, he quit pastoring, renounced his faith, and was apologizing for any stand that he had taken through the years.

It's not a coincidence that the Lord has been bringing a particular thought to mind these last few weeks, either during my devotions, in conversation with my husband, or through the preaching of God's Word.

Take for instance a series of messages by my Pastor this last week entitled It Was Never About the Land. The children of Israel, in looking forward to entering in to the promised land, were told:...I set before you a blessing and a curse. (Deut. 11:26) The land was theirs as long as they obeyed the commandments of the Lord. But if they didn't, if they turned to other gods and did not follow the Word of the Lord, they would face terrible judgment.

Interesting that Joshua was then admonished by the Lord to be strong and of a good courage (Josh. 1:6) not because of the battles he would face in taking the land from the enemy, but because of the bigger battles he would face in getting the people just to obey God.

Yes, they would have to fight to possess the land; but, again, the Lord had already promised that it was theirs for the taking. With a little bit of work, they would have been victorious! But yet we find later on that they never completely cleared the land of all the inhabitants. Instead, we find them in some cases settling in and adopting their strange gods.

Overall, the children of Israel missed a critical point: it wasn't about the land. It was about honoring and obeying God with the land that had been given to them. Not forsaking Him to follow the culture in the land.

And because of their continual disobedience, the book of Judges, following their conquests in the book of Joshua, gives us a dimsal account of the continual cycle of sin, judgement, repentance, and deliverance of the children of Israel.

It never should have been that way. But, unfortunately, obedience takes work. Not just today, but tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, etc. Just because I may have obeyed God's Word today, doesn't mean that I am guaranteed obedience tomorrow.

With every battle I face, whether it be about sumbission or separation or standards, I can only claim victory if I choose to obey the clear teachings found in the Word of God.

I've been given life. What I do with that life is completely up to me. I, as a Christian, have been promised the blessings of an abundant life. But this abudnace hinges on my obedience. Even my fellowship with my Heavenly Father hinges on whether I choose to follow His Word, or if I choose to do my own thing. Ye are my Friends (Jesus said), if ye do whatsoever I have commanded you. (John 15:14)

I'm always saddened when a Christian decides that it's just not worth the work to fight the battles, to live victoriously, to live abundantly. It's a battlefield. Are you willing to work to be victorious?

Then let's work together!

Simply Working,