Fast Food Faithનમૂનો

A couple of days ago, we read about Sodom and Gomorrah, which was a city where God Himself said that their sin was extremely serious. Sin is missing the mark, missing the mark on what God commands of us. We all sin but because of Jesus’s sacrifice, we have been forgiven. However, like Lot’s wife, sometimes we choose to look back and choose our own way in a time that is detrimental. God was allowing time for Lot and his family to escape the destruction of their city because Lot was considered the last righteous man of the city. Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt because she chose to look back even though an angel sent from the Lord had told them not to. There are moments in our lives when God has commanded us to move forward or let go of what we want but we choose not to obey. As we see in Genesis 19, there are consequences to that choice. We may not be turned into a pillar of salt but the discomfort of dissatisfaction and unfulfillment in what we choose to do is one of our consequences. It may not be a specific action that we choose not to obey but a truth that God places in His Word and we choose to not agree and disregard His command, this is choosing our own way. God’s truth is greater than our truth, His ways are higher than our ways.

Yesterday, we looked through some passages in the book of Judges. In Judges, we see the Israelites’ cycle of sin, repentance, choosing their own way, and repentance…and repeat. The book of Judges ends with Israel still choosing to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight. Even after the consequences, God’s own people continued to choose what culture and those around them said was best instead of having faith and trusting God. This led them to captivity and war with other nations for many, many years. What in your life are you choosing to hold onto instead of trusting God?

Like the Israelites, where has choosing your own way gotten you? The meaning of the Gospel is lost when we make it about ourselves and morph it to what we want versus the selfless surrender God calls us to. Faith requires trust in someone greater than ourselves which is neither convenient or comfortable. When we live desiring convenience or comfort, we will be captive to ourselves which is exactly what the enemy wants. There is no convenient time in life or comfortable way to follow Jesus; yes there is promised peace, promised eternity, promised blessings, but there is no promise of life being easy when you choose to fully surrender to Jesus. Sometimes, we do not want to hear the truth that the Gospel has to offer. We know that believing in the Gospel, and choosing to follow Jesus means that we have to let go of things that we might want to hold onto.

As we continue the rest of this week, choose to let go and surrender to God’s way instead of your own. Take time to reflect and sit in prayer, asking God to show you what you are choosing to hold onto. Ask Him to grow your faith and trust in Him.