Mark Twain famously stated that the problem he had with the Bible was not what he DIDN'T understand, but that which he DID. It isn't rocket science to understand that wholehearted love for our Father and our neighbor, as well as the mandate to make disciples, are key commandments. The rub is in the doing, not the understanding.
A man named Jonah didn't have a hearing problem, but rather a doing problem:
"The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.' But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.' " (Jonah 1.1-3)
A lot of men are bad with directions (and refuse to ask for help!), but Jonah's problem with directions were deliberate. He didn't WANT to obey. His obedience to God was conditional - based on his criteria, not God's.
Someone recently commented that the Bible is not an a la-carte menu - selecting what you want, and leaving the rest. Obedience is to be all-encompassing; not selective. Choosing the parts that are convenient and appealing for our obedience just won't cut it in the plan of God. It's an all-or-nothing proposition.
Lest we think God's demands are unreasonable, we do well to remember that it's all based on personal choice anyway. Jonah had the option to decline God's prophetic call, just as we have the option to refuse God's salvation plan. But, once accepted, it's all on His terms, not ours. Again, the a la-carte approach isn't optional. We're either all in, or not at all in.
Love isn't based on minimum standards. Few, if any, marriages work when one member has the mentality, "what's the least I can do and still be loved by him/her?" It's about wholehearted devotion, not grudging compliance.
That which our Father calls us to is not always personally pleasing or appealing, but if our mindset is that of genuine love and devotion to Him, then our obedience is our sacrifice and act of worship (Romans 12.1-2). May love for Him guide us today in wholehearted service and obedience.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
A man named Jonah didn't have a hearing problem, but rather a doing problem:
"The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.' But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.' " (Jonah 1.1-3)
A lot of men are bad with directions (and refuse to ask for help!), but Jonah's problem with directions were deliberate. He didn't WANT to obey. His obedience to God was conditional - based on his criteria, not God's.
Someone recently commented that the Bible is not an a la-carte menu - selecting what you want, and leaving the rest. Obedience is to be all-encompassing; not selective. Choosing the parts that are convenient and appealing for our obedience just won't cut it in the plan of God. It's an all-or-nothing proposition.
Lest we think God's demands are unreasonable, we do well to remember that it's all based on personal choice anyway. Jonah had the option to decline God's prophetic call, just as we have the option to refuse God's salvation plan. But, once accepted, it's all on His terms, not ours. Again, the a la-carte approach isn't optional. We're either all in, or not at all in.
Love isn't based on minimum standards. Few, if any, marriages work when one member has the mentality, "what's the least I can do and still be loved by him/her?" It's about wholehearted devotion, not grudging compliance.
That which our Father calls us to is not always personally pleasing or appealing, but if our mindset is that of genuine love and devotion to Him, then our obedience is our sacrifice and act of worship (Romans 12.1-2). May love for Him guide us today in wholehearted service and obedience.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
posted by steve @ 9:07 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home