Insisting on Dying

"Then I repeated this same message to

King Zedekiah of Judah.

'If you want to live,

submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and his people.

Why do you insist on dying--you and your people?

Why should you choose

war, famine, and disease,

which the LORD will bring against every nation

that refuses to submit to Babylon's king?'"

Jeremiah 27:12-13

They were doomed to die, to suffer, to withstand punishment due to their unfaithfulness, their evil, selfish ways.  Even though they deserved such treatment, God offered grace and mercy, a way out of the war, famine and disease.  If they wanted life, the people of Judah must surrender.  The Chaldeans were coming.  Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon was descending upon them.  Even though it seemed they had no options, they did.  And they could choose life.

Isn't it the same with me?  With all of mankind?  I am doomed to die, to suffer, to withstand punishment due to my unfaithfulness to God, my evil and selfish ways (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  Even though I deserve such treatment, God offers grace and mercy, a way out of eternal damnation (Romans 5:18).  If I want life, I must surrender to Jesus in order to live.  Judgement is coming (Hebrews 9:27).  Even though it seems I have no options since I am sinful to the core, I do.  And I can choose life through Jesus (John 3:18).  How? 

Repent.  God's plea to His people as they stubbornly refused to listen to His warnings of coming punishment was to repent.  To turn from their ways, their disobedient deeds, to stop doing the wrong He had warned them not to do (Jeremiah 26:13).  To regret the sin that was killing them.  As He pleaded through the prophet Ezekiel, "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. . .Therefore, repent and live!" (Ezekiel 18:32).

He still pleads with me through His Son Jesus whom came to make things right again, to fix what sin had destroyed, to restore, to heal, to offer life (Isaiah 61:1-3).  Jesus preached the same message as John the Baptist before Him, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).  Before I can turn toward Jesus, I must turn away from the sin that is killing me.  I must realize the danger in continuing on my present path and be willing to give up my old way of living in order to take on the new way (Matthew 7:13-14).  I must stop my own efforts that are causing me to drown and grasp on to the lifeline Jesus is offering.  Either I choose darkness or Light (John 3:19).  I can't have it both ways (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

If I want to live I must repent, realizing the gravity of my sinful living.

Submit.  Once God's people realized the path of destruction they were on and turned away from the disobedience that was their undoing, God then instructed them to obey, to fully commit to Him, to become faithful to Him as their only hope and their One True God.

It's the same with me today.  In order to be saved I must believe in Jesus as my Savior, submitting to Him as Lord (Romans 10:9).  He did the work that was necessary in taking on the punishment for my sins when dying on the cross, I am to entrust my life to Him in return.  To be all in.  To fully commit my life to Him.  This is what it means to believe, not just to agree in my mind that Jesus is Lord but to actually surrender to Him and make Him King of my life.  Faith without actions to back it up is no faith at all but only words on a page, and I prove I have submitted to Him by doing what He says (James 1:22-25. 2:14-26).

To walk in the Light of Jesus I must let Him lead me down the path of life as my Shepherd (Matthew 7:14, John 10:14) .

Forgiveness.  God is a merciful God.  He knew His people deserved His wrath for their wayward ways.  Yet in His mercy, He offered a way out.  If only they would repent and turn back to Him as their Master, He promised to change His mind about sending the Babylonians to take them into captivity.  There was hope if the people would agree to His terms (Jeremiah 26:13).

While God is merciful and gracious, He is also righteous.  He can't just offer me forgiveness while leaving my sin unpunished.  In the same way a good judge does not let a criminal go free simply out of the goodness of his heart, so the truly righteous Judge cannot look the other way while I walk free from the death sentence my sins deserve (Romans 6:23).  There must be punishment.  There must be blood sacrifice to atone for my sins.  Someone must pay the price.  And that Someone is Jesus.  He paid my fine so that I can walk free in the forgiveness of a holy God.  It is only through the blood of Jesus that I can find pardon from my death sentence, for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22).

To be presented before God as holy and blameless I must be covered by the blood of Jesus by faith in Him (Ephesians 5:26-27).

I am doomed to die because of my sin, yet Jesus offers life.  How do I choose life?  By turning away from the sin that is killing me and submitting to Jesus as Savior and Lord.  When I do, I'll receive forgiveness by the blood of Jesus.  Why do I insist on dying when life has been freely offered (John 3:18)?

As I begin this day it is my hope that I can choose life instead of the death that comes when I do what comes naturally.

How do I fail to make Jesus Lord of my life?

When am I stubbornly insisting on dying simply by denying Christ?

He Remembers

"For the land will be deserted by them

and will enjoy its Sabbaths 

while it lies desolate without them.

They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws

and abhorred my decrees.

Yet in spite of this,

when they are in the land of their enemies,

I will not reject them

or abhor them so as to destroy them completely,

breaking my covenant with them.

I am the LORD their God.

But for their sake I will remember the covenant

with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt

in the sight of the nations to be their God.

I am the LORD."

Leviticus 26:43-45

He was the grandson of the deposed king and was therefore considered to be an enemy of the current ruler.  It was with a trembling heart, then, that he obeyed the summons of King David, entering into the mighty warrior's presence with great fear and humility.

"I am your servant, my lord."  The young man bowed as low as he could get, wondering what would become of him.

"Don't worry, I am not going to hurt you.  I have called you here to make good on a promise I made to your father.  Due to the oath I made to Jonathan, I intend to restore all your grandfather's land to you as well as offer you an honored place in my family."

"What's the meaning of this?  Why would you do this to me, your enemy?  I'm as good as dead as far as you're concerned!"

David proceeded to follow through with the covenant he had made with his beloved friend Jonathan.  Out of the love they shared for each other, David welcomed Mephibosheth who was up until then a crippled outcast with a price on his head.  He who once was an enemy now became like family, all because of love. (1 Samuel 20:16-17, 2 Samuel 9)

It's not so different with me.  I, too, was once considered to be an enemy of a powerful King because of my sin. (Romans 5:10)  The difference is, however, this King did not rule an earthly kingdom as David did, but a heavenly one.  The King I was pitted against was God.  

Mercifully, instead of getting what I deserved, the supreme Ruler of all things did the unthinkable.  Out of His great love for me, He chose me to enter into a relationship with Him as His child. (John 15:16)  This adoption is only possible through the covenant sealed by Christ's death on the cross followed by His resurrection three days later.  (1 John 3:1, Luke 22:20, Hebrews 9:15)

No matter what difficulty God allows into my life, then, I can be assured that He will never forget His covenant.  It is not His desire to break me or punish me, but to restore, develop and shape my relationship with Him.  Since it is God's intention to ever draw me closer, the only variable to my intimacy with Him is my own state of willingness.

Submit

The stubborn steer would not budge not matter how hard I pulled on the lead connected to his halter.  I was in the process of training the yearling Charolais for the county fair that summer of my youth, but he wasn't progressing as I'd have liked.  In order to do well in the fitting and showing portion of the competition, I would have to demonstrate a level of cooperation between me as the trainer and the animal I had spent time to prepare.  The only way I would accomplish that goal was if the steer would submit to my leadership, letting me lead him.

It's not so different with me.  I often balk at God's attempts to direct me, lead me and train me.  Instead of letting go of my desire to rule my own life and give Him control, I choose to fight against God.  It's the difference between a potter shaping a soft lump of clay as opposed to attempting to mold a dried-out piece.  One will conform into the shape he intended while the other is impossible to work with.

I have never grown so much in my bond with the Lord as I have in the past year.  It's not because I'm committed to studying His Word more deeply, or that I've stepped out in faith to serve Him in ways that feel uncomfortable to me, or that I've taken a risk and shared the Gospel with others.  These are all good examples of the fruit He is growing in my life, evidence of my intimacy with Him, but I don't believe they are responsible for that closer bond with my Father.  

Instead, it is my willingness to comply to His direction that draws me toward Him.  I've grown closer to God when I trust Him enough at His Word to do as He says.  In other words, my intimacy with Him is in direct proportion to my obedience to Him.  Every time I resist His transforming work in my life, I drift a little further away. (Romans 12:2) 

In order for my relationship with God to grow closer, I must be willing to submit to His Sovereign will.

Let Go

I've been told that one way to catch a monkey is to place a treat inside a box with a hole in one side.  Once the curious animal reaches through the opening to grab the treasure, his fist will make his hand just big enough to make escape impossible.  Therefore, the only way the monkey can be free from the box is if he lets go of the treat.

As you can imagine, most primates are too stubborn to let go of what drew their eye in the first place, dooming themselves to a life of captivity.  In a similar way, I can be so caught up with going after what gratifies me, or stuff that I've deemed as essential, or pursuits that seem vital that I am unwilling to let go.  (1 John 2:16)

If I want to grow closer to the Lord, I will need to let go of my own desires and the things I think are essential. As Jim Elliot, missionary who gave his life in obedience to God's call to share the gospel with the Auca Indians in Ecuador said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."  The only thing that really matters is Christ and Him crucified:  Everything else must be held with an open hand.

In order for my relationship with God to grow closer, I must be willing to let go of my own desires.

Comply

I cannot remember a time when this particular daughter rebelled against my authority as her mother.  Whenever I asked her to do something, she did it without complaint.  If I needed help, I'd call on her and she'd assist me in whatever way I asked.  While not perfect, this child had been given a compliant spirit.

When it comes to parenting, it is much easier to lead a child that obeys.  A disobedient, defiant son or daughter is a real challenge to even the best of parents.  While God never struggles with how to deal with my disobedience, I make it hard on myself when I insist on doing things my way instead of His.

If I stubbornly refuse to forgive those who have hurt me, for example, it is like I'm taking poison and expecting the ones who wounded me to die. (Mark 11:25)  

Or, if I stick to my guns for the principle of the thing, I forget that those who oppose me are lost and in need of a Savior. (2 Timothy 2:23-26, Matthew 28:19)  

Or, if I follow the pattern of this world and run after worldly treasures, I will find my heart drawn to that which leads me away from Jesus.  (Matthew 6:19-21)

In order for my relationship with God to grow closer, I must be willing to comply with His teachings.

Like Mephibosheth, I have been chosen to dine at the King's table as a precious child of God, adopted through the blood of Jesus.  Therefore, I can count on Him to never leave me nor forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:6)  When I feel far away from Him, then, it is not He that is left me, but I who has been unfaithful.  I might consider that I've not been submissive to His authority in my life, or that I'm holding on to that which entices me away, or that I'm insisting on doing things my way.  When I fail to submit, let go and comply, I must remember the problem lies with me.  God, however, always remembers His covenant of love made possible through the sacrifice of His Son.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can live like I've been bought at a price.

When do I stubbornly stick to my own destructive ways?

How am I pushing God away in the things after which I lust?

Know the Lord

"Pharaoh said,

'Who is the LORD,

that I should obey him and let Israel go?

I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.'"

Exodus 5:2

The moment they came to look at the house, I was intrigued.  They were a homeschool family with five children, all under the age of eight.  The youngest two were twins and the parents were followers of Jesus Christ.  I hoped the owner of the house next door would approve them for a lease.

I didn't know this family, but I knew God and His indwelling Spirit drew me to them.  Sure enough, we soon were doing Bible studies together, sharing meals and helping each other out in any way we could.

This is what the family of God looks like.  We as believers are drawn toward each other and are filled with a desire to serve one another, caring for each other with the love of God that courses through our veins. (John 13:35) 

For those outside the body of Christ, however, there is a different story to tell.  Without the bond of Jesus to band us together, people mostly look out for their own interests.  Sure, there is sometimes a guilt-bound effort to build relationships, but it is usually out of obligation, self-interest or tradition, not out of love.

The more I get to know the Lord, the more I sense His Spirit within me to guide, transform and empower me to love those around me.  One of those new-found character traits in my life is a hunger for scripture.  When I didn't know Him personally, God's Word didn't mean much to me.  It seemed wise and helpful, but not life-giving and precious as it does now.

If I want to more faithfully worship and obey the Lord, it is necessary for me to grow in my relationship with Him, getting to know Him more and more each day.

Submit

My dog Strider is a stubborn Pit Bull-Chocolate Lab mix.  He is one of the cutest canines I've ever seen, but he definitely has a mind of his own.  When it's time for me to turn in at night, I'll give the command, "Go to bed."  He will look at me from his lounging position with a look that says, "Make me."  Sometimes he even growls.  If I stand my ground, however, he will give in but not without a lot of prodding on my part.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I came to him one night with the usual order and he willingly obeyed the first time I gave the command!  It was so nice for him to finally submit to my leadership and it made bedtime a much more enjoyable time.  He finally trusted me enough to do as I asked.

God wants my submission as well.  When I willingly obey instead of fighting Him every step of the way, I can fall into sync with Him.  My life is filled with peace as I learn more of His ways, experience the strength of His power, and discover His trustworthiness.

When I submit to the Lord, I am telling Him that I trust Him enough to put all my eggs in His basket, believing that His way is best.  I am also giving the message to Him and those who are watching that I know God enough to believe He has the best plan for my life. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Following Him will lead me toward a full and abundant life.  (Isaiah 58:11)

When I submit to the Lord, I demonstrate my faith in Him and provide a gateway for greater understanding of His nature.

No Back-Up

The drone of the C-130's could be heard clearly in the crisp night air.  I gazed up at the darkened sky, marveling at the beauty of the constellations.  Lord, you made all of this splendor for our enjoyment.  You placed each star in place, so I know I can trust you to take care of my husband.  Please keep Him safe as he goes out on this mission.

My husband spent much of his single years jumping out of airplanes as a paratrooper for the U.S. Army.  Until we moved to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina during our 8th year of marriage, however, he didn't see much action.  I was not accustomed to him going out on night jumps, giving me plenty of time to worry whether or not he'd come back again.

While he successfully completed every one of his nearly 90 operations, he never went without a back-up chute.  In case the main parachute fails, paratroopers are required to carry a secondary one.  

Whereas it is smart to have a reserve when jumping out of a plane, God desires that I trust Him fully, without retaining a "Plan B."  When I place all my faith in Him, believing that His plan will prevail, I will start to grow exponentially closer to Him.  When I instead think about what I'll do in case God doesn't come through or I don't like His way, I'm betraying my lack of faith.  

Knowing God for myself gives me the tools I need to place myself in His hands without holding back.  Learning that He will never leave me nor forsake me gives me the confidence to let go of my own ideas and let Him have His way. (Deuteronomy 31:6) Finding out that His plan is a good one that will benefit me while supplying peace and hope for the future gives me the assurance of His reliability. (Jeremiah 29:11) Coming to know the God who will never fail to supply all my needs gives me the faith I need to trust Him without reserve. (Philippians 4:19)

When I submit to the Lord without relying on a back-up, I prove to God that I know Him enough to trust Him fully, and my understanding of His ways will grow even more.

Invest Time

I thought I knew my friend from church, but until we spend time together, I only knew what I saw on Sundays, during planned activities and at social events.  It wasn't until we organized a yard sale together, however, that we truly began to grow closer in our friendship.  There is something about spending time in the nitty-gritty trenches of life that builds a bond between people.

It's no different between me and God.  I can easily keep Him at arms-length, only inviting Him in when I feel presentable and put together.  If I take a risk, however, and let Him come close when I'm in the middle of the mundane details of my life, or when I am experiencing the consequences of some bad choices, or especially when I'm feeling bad about myself, I'll grow closer to Him as I discover His unconditional love.

It is also easy to only touch the surface of my knowledge of the Lord, spending only the minimum time possible in His Word.  When I don't give enough effort, thought and attention to the scriptures, my relationship with Him will stay distant.  If, however, I take a risk and invest time in the studying of His Word, my bond to Him will grow as a result.

When I make an effort to include God in the ordinary details of my life as well as devoting myself to His Word, I will find my relationship with Him will grow stronger as I get to know Him better.

I may think I know the Lord, but until I let Him lead in every aspect of my life, put all my faith in Him, and love Him enough to invest time with Him, I'll never know Him as intimately as He wants.  Therefore, it's vital to the growth of my relationship with my heavenly Father that I make every effort to know Him more each day.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God fully, without reservation.

What do I keep in reserve just in case I don't see God providing, at least in the timeframe I desire?

When do I invest in my physical fitness but neglect my spiritual fitness?   

Legitimate Child

"Endure hardship as discipline;

God is treating you as his children.

For what children are not disciplined by their father?

If you are not disciplined--

and everyone undergoes discipline--

then you are not legitimate,

not true sons and daughters at all.

Moreover,

we have all had human fathers who disciplined us

and we respected them for it.

How much more should we submit 

to the Father of spirits and live!

They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best;

but God disciplines us for our good,

in order that we may share in his holiness."

Hebrews 12:7-11

Her husband suffered from kidney failure.  Even after receiving a transplant, the new organ failed and soon he was back on dialysis.  Because of the difficulties with his body accepting the donated kidney, his doctors deemed him an unfit candidate for future transplants.  Consequently, he will be on dialysis for the rest of his life.  

Soon after this young couple settled into this new routine, another health scare came their way, this time in the form of cancer attacking her body.  What now?  She thought.  Don't we have enough to deal with, Lord?  Even as she asked, she knew the answer:  It's all being used to transform me into Your image, Father.

It's easy to get frustrated and downhearted when I struggle, suffer and endure trials. I can reassure myself, however, with the truth that I belong to God and He loves me too much to leave me as I am.  Instead, He uses the circumstances of life to mold me into His image.

Submit

"Curse God and die!" 

That was the advice given to Job by his wife.  This man had enjoyed a successful, fruitful life until one day when he went from the greatest man known in the East to perhaps the most miserable man who ever lived.  In one 24 hour period he lost his wealth and his children.  As if that were not enough, he then was afflicted with painful sores that covered every inch of skin.  A more tortured man never existed.

Instead of fighting the Lord's plan, however, Job submitted by falling on the ground to worship God saying, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there.  The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."  (Job 1:21 NKJV)

As Steven Curtis Chapman sings, "God is God and I am not."  The sooner I accept this truth and place myself under His sovereign authority, the closer I am to adopting the attitude of Job.  Whatever God allows into my life will be used by Him for good. (Romans 8:28)  Sometimes good doesn't feel good, and most of the time it doesn't live up to my expectation of good, but only God knows what truly is good. (James 1:17) So, I must trust Him.

When enduring hard times, the sooner I yield to God's purifying work in my life, the better.

Temporarily Painful

Anyone who has done any kind of physical training understands the adage, "No Pain, No Gain."  In order for progress to be made, whether that goal is a faster time completed, heavier weight lifted or bigger muscles and less body fat obtained, I will go through some kind of discomfort.  Athletes understand this necessary pain as temporary and simply a sign that growth is imminent.

In a similar way, I am like an athlete in training as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  As I undergo conditioning in the form of difficult circumstances, uncomfortable conditions, and painful suffering, I can take on the attitude of one who is enduring the temporary pain as a way of achieving long term gain.  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

When enduring suffering, keeping the proper perspective will help me persevere.

Harvest

My cucumbers were under attack!  Some kind of borer had attacked the woody part of the vine, chewing through until one day it suddenly withered into a pitiful pile of useless leaves.  Thanks to that invading pest, I was never able to harvest any cucumbers that fateful year.

It's hard to garden successfully when there are so many enemies waiting to destroy the harvest.  My walk with Christ is kind of like that.  When hard times come, the Enemy is there to whisper words of despair and discouragement in my ear, tempting me to think I'm not loved and that God has abandoned me.  Nothing, however is further than the truth.

Just as a refiner of silver keeps his eye on the precious metal as he holds it to the hottest part of the fire, so my Father in heaven purifies my heart.  His eye never leaves me lest I burn, for it is never His intention to hurt me.  Rather, it is His purpose to burn away all impurities, leaving nothing but a heart devoted to Him.  (Malachi 3:3a)

When enduring difficulties, God will use it to produce a harvest of righteousness.  (James 3:18)

No one likes discipline, but it is a necessary part of living under the authority of another.  When I go through the trials of life, I can remember that my Father in heaven is demonstrating His love for me by treating me as His very own.  Therefore, I can learn to submit myself to His loving hand, keep in mind that the pain is temporary and that the harvest that is to come will make it all worth it.  Yes, it is good to be a child of God!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my place as God's child always before me.

When do I have a hard time submitting to God's discipline?

How do I fight His efforts to refine me?