Ok it’s only taken me 80 days to write something down from my year in the Bible. I’ve been thinking about it but 80 days past by.
Here’s the theme from this morning ..obedience. When I looked at all these passages today they were connected with it. (Numbers 32-33/Lk 4:31-5:11/Ps 64:1-10/Pr 11:22) I read pretty much straight through the passages until I got to Luke 5. Verse 5 was the first thing that hit me. “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” NLT. Peter was tired. He had tried his best to get a catch, but caught nothing. The sting of the this professional fisherman not being able to do what he was supposed to do should not be lost. He was frustrated. Yet in the midst of his frustration and embarrassment he is will to do what Christ wants. He is even willing to face it again. He had failed. He was willing to try once more. This is toughest kind of obedience. That willingness to obey pushes my resolve to face the issues of obedience in my life.
As I looked back to the Numbers chapters I saw more teaching on obedience. The tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh wanted the land east of the Jordan as their inheritance. The rest of Israel’s inheritance would be on the west side. They came to Moses asking to stay east and that they would fight with the other tribes to free the land. Moses is fearful that they might not fulfill their vow and warns them in 32:23 “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” Disobedience is not just against others. It is ultimately against the Lord. I need to remember who I am offending …the God of the universe. The other point here is that there is no way to hide sin. It will come out. I cannot think I can get away with it. I will be found out for how I’ve done wrong.
- obey when it you don’t feel like it
- disobedience is most importantly against the Lord
- disobedience will be come out