Obedience is an Invitation
I am writing, intentionally, to you. Please receive it that way, at least pondering its content.
While considering the content for May, I had some overall themes I’d like to address and consider:
– Is our approach to God self-centric?
– What does it mean to know God?
– Do we ‘market’ God as a means to an end?
– God’s commands and principles are not a burden or a demand, but an invitation.
– Obedience is God’s compass. An essential tool.
Here we go…
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19)
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1)
Nice, but so what?
Over the years I’ve considered, “What if God was bad?” I mean, what if I knew He was God but He was not all that nice? What would I do?
Usually, my thinking has me treating this “unkind God” as God because that is who He is. I did not create myself. I am created and I should naturally treat my Maker accordingly.
Now, the good news is that I have come to know God and am discovering Him as He actually is, using my Bible as a lamp unto my exploration. And what I now know is that He is who He is, always. He is, in truth and reality, Love. He is the definition and epitome of love. And yes, there is much more of Him I know than this. He is lovingly sovereign. He is always present. He is never surprised since He knows all things. He is full of grace because He knows me and my sinful disposition. He is merciful. He is devoted to me, completing a good work He has begun in me. He is omni-patient. He is trustworthy and faithful. He is powerful. Nothing is impossible with Him—nothing. He fulfills every one of His promises, every one. He is greater than I can understand, yet able to reveal Himself to me. And I can go on and on about His Isness. His alwaysness. His perfections.
What’s my point?
Well, it seems to me that we very often approach the idea of God as something we weigh in on, decide upon, like a private jury.
We make the existence of God seem like an idea or a lifestyle choice we make. Yet it is not. He is independently God. He exists whether or not anyone accepts Him.
What we address as a choice is actually an acceptance or a rejection of Him. We know He exists—just look around. Do we honor Him or reject Him?
We approach one another, trying to attract one another with all the blessings that come along with having a believing relationship with a very real God. These blessings will prove to be true, but they are not merely marketing tools to get others to buy in.
We often approach God as consumers, evaluators, negotiators, as if He is a late-night television ad. “How will God serve me?” is not a healthy question. A better question is: How can a surrendered creation respond to its Creator?
The attraction is God.
All of what Jesus will do for us is true, but these truths should not be seen or used as weights on the scale to have others accept Him. No. God—the Maker of all things, the One who demonstrates His love and mercy via His humble sacrifice to rescue and adopt those who are wandering and wondering helplessly—He is enough. He is God.
Ignorance or busyness is not an excuse. He is who He is, and this should result in honor, respect, and obedience. He is and is God.
Speaking of obedience…
Obedience is not a burden or a demand; it is an invitation.
When we talk about obedience, we might think about a parent, a boss, a dictator, a slave owner, etc. Though, in these cases, obedience is demanded, the motivations and results are questionable.
Not so with God. His motives are pure love.
He does not demand obedience; He invites us to be obedient. Not as a means of control, but as a directive of loving, wise counsel.
God knows the path to pure joy, to safety, to all good things. He knows because He created life.
God also knows that, for this time on earth, the enemy exists whose sole purpose is to lie and distract. “Did God really say…?” Always undermining God and trying to persuade allegiance away from God, which is allegiance to him. God is not unaware of his schemes, nor should we be.
Obedience is an invitation to safe passage. Obedience is God’s compass.
Obedience is not what we must do to get to heaven. No, obedience is what we desire to do in order to safely navigate this fallen world filled with landmines of distraction away from a wonderful life in tune and intimate with God Almighty.
Psalm 119 is a prayer from the lips of one pursuing and enjoying a life with the Lord:
“I run in the path of Your commands.”
We can frolic and freely run in the path of His commands because He knows where the landmines are buried and how to get us safely home.
Eternal life is this—to know God.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
Not to have God described to us.
Not to have God prescribed for us.
But do we know Him as He is and therefore treat Him accordingly?
Jesus calls believers His bride. Do we know Him as our spouse?
God says that He makes the two one when a man and woman marry.
We do not simply know about our mate (“they say she/he is nice”), nor do we have our mate prescribed for us (“he/she would be good for you”).
No. We seek and find our mate. Over time, we develop a relationship with them. We both mutually decide to give our lives to the other, promising to be true in good times and bad, richer or poorer, in sickness or health, till we breathe our last.
They consummate their marriage by the highest of intimacies.
When we desire and accept our adoption as children of God, we at the same time are married to Jesus, who has already expressed His undying love for us by literally dying for us.
Of course, we do not somehow have sexual intimacy with God. But we are united with Him when we believe.
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” (John 17:20–21)
The only way to be united to God is to embrace Him.
The only way to experience His untold blessings is to walk with Him.
Therefore, we have to ‘go to know’.
Still going…
TG