Rebellion or Trust and Obey?
Today, it just hit too close for comfort. I think it often is so easy to look at and analyse someone else's journey with God and see all their mistakes, missteps and miserable choices. We do it all the time with God's people in the Old Testament, with the disciples and religious leaders in the New Testament or even with certain people in the primitive church. We do it with current religious leaders and even our own church communities. Let's face it, we can be pretty hard on "them". We sit on our sidelines and say to ourselves with a great degree of smugness, "How come they didn't get it? What's their problem anyway?"
And then today I read "But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to put your trust in him or obey him." (Deut. 9:23) Dagger right to the heart. When was the last time I didn't trust God? Fully. Implicitly. Wholeheartedly. Or when did I excuse my disobedience because of "extenuating circumstances"? ... "It's hard here, you know.... I'm doing a lot already.... Look at my sacrifices"...
God, through the mouth of Moses, clarifies things for us, for me. Not trusting God = rebellion. Always. No exceptions. Not obeying God = rebellion. Every time. End of story. And that very act or attitude of rebellion makes God angry (verses7,8,14,18,20,22). Angry, He has every right to be. God has said very clearly that the examples we see in His word are to act as warnings, teaching us from the experiences of others either what to do or what not to do. They are not there so we can gloat or cluck our tongues over how dense those others were. We are made from the same cloth. I am of that same rebellious nature.
It could all be such a dismal picture if it were not for what happens next in the text. Moses intercedes for the trustless disobedient people. And here is his argument (verses 26-29) : in spite of everything, Lord, they are your people. You have already gone to such extreme lengths with them in redeeming them from the slavery of their old life. Don't give up on them now. Because if you do, the people around who are constantly watching this being played out, will get the wrong idea about you. They'll think you're not big enough or good enough or strong enough to do what you said you would do. So don't do it for their sake only but do it for your own sake, for your own ultimate glory.
Rebellion is mutiny against the captain. The created defying the Creator. What gall! "Remember and never foget how angry you made the Lord your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now you have been constantly rebelling against him." (verse 7) Remember and never forget. Rebellion is always rebellion. It's always serious. It's never acceptable. Trusting God in everything is not a multiple choice option. Lord, help me to remember that and never forget it. Whatever. Whenever. The next time something bad or hard happens to one of my kids, grandkids or parents, I want to trust you. Or when you ask me to do something disagreeable, uncomfortable, I want to obey you. I don't want to live like a perpetually rebellious teen with a chip on my shoulder, mad at you and the world. Because others are watching and they might get the wrong idea about you.
"And now, Israel [Brenda}, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul." Deut 10:12 So help me, God. For your sake and for your glory. Here, in this context. No questions. No complaints. Just trust and obey.
And then today I read "But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to put your trust in him or obey him." (Deut. 9:23) Dagger right to the heart. When was the last time I didn't trust God? Fully. Implicitly. Wholeheartedly. Or when did I excuse my disobedience because of "extenuating circumstances"? ... "It's hard here, you know.... I'm doing a lot already.... Look at my sacrifices"...
God, through the mouth of Moses, clarifies things for us, for me. Not trusting God = rebellion. Always. No exceptions. Not obeying God = rebellion. Every time. End of story. And that very act or attitude of rebellion makes God angry (verses7,8,14,18,20,22). Angry, He has every right to be. God has said very clearly that the examples we see in His word are to act as warnings, teaching us from the experiences of others either what to do or what not to do. They are not there so we can gloat or cluck our tongues over how dense those others were. We are made from the same cloth. I am of that same rebellious nature.
It could all be such a dismal picture if it were not for what happens next in the text. Moses intercedes for the trustless disobedient people. And here is his argument (verses 26-29) : in spite of everything, Lord, they are your people. You have already gone to such extreme lengths with them in redeeming them from the slavery of their old life. Don't give up on them now. Because if you do, the people around who are constantly watching this being played out, will get the wrong idea about you. They'll think you're not big enough or good enough or strong enough to do what you said you would do. So don't do it for their sake only but do it for your own sake, for your own ultimate glory.
Rebellion is mutiny against the captain. The created defying the Creator. What gall! "Remember and never foget how angry you made the Lord your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now you have been constantly rebelling against him." (verse 7) Remember and never forget. Rebellion is always rebellion. It's always serious. It's never acceptable. Trusting God in everything is not a multiple choice option. Lord, help me to remember that and never forget it. Whatever. Whenever. The next time something bad or hard happens to one of my kids, grandkids or parents, I want to trust you. Or when you ask me to do something disagreeable, uncomfortable, I want to obey you. I don't want to live like a perpetually rebellious teen with a chip on my shoulder, mad at you and the world. Because others are watching and they might get the wrong idea about you.
"And now, Israel [Brenda}, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul." Deut 10:12 So help me, God. For your sake and for your glory. Here, in this context. No questions. No complaints. Just trust and obey.
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