Another teaching from Job is that satan obeys God but does so only selectively. It was God who commanded satan to go so far and not further to which satan gladly obliged. This made me ask myself a serious question about why satan obeyed God, its archenemy... Why it listened to the voice of Him who yearns contrary to it? Answer: its desires were being met. Which lead me to a second question - what areas in life do I yield readily to Gods instructions? What do I obey instinctively? Why? Answer- common interests. This saddened me a bit. Am I not operating at satans level if all I ever agree to do from Gods instructions are the things I, NOT GOD, desire to do to serve my lusts? Am I not functioning at the lowest and most selfish (satan-ish) point if I and God will be synchronized only where my needs are BoSs? satan does listen to God but it does so selectively. Do I? Do I listen to Him selectively too? satan-ish. Do I rejoice when the anger of God is expressed to another, inflicting pain on others? Common ground. Do I flow mainly in those instances when He serves a punishment? Do I celebrate only when He speaks of destruction and fret when He brags or blesses another? Truly, whose heart am I manifesting the most? Jonah behaved similar to the enemy - rejoiced with Ninevehs potential punishment and sick to the core by the unsurpassable grace of God. He was sick to the point of death. Our beloved David prayed similar prayers - Lord, fight with those who fight with me. Let my enemies be decimated and their children after them. Stephan, in the other hand, prayed a radically different prayer: Lord forgive them their sins for they know not what they are doing. Difference? The Cross. It stands up and sees all as Gods beloved children, not enemies. It empathizes (and is not sickened) all the way to the point of death. The Cross stands up and offers love for hate, forgiveness for punishment and grace for judgment. It acts contrary to Davids subjectivity and lifts the standard to the very words of Christ through mere earthen lips. Father, dont decimate my enemies. Forgive and save. Let me be on Your mercy side just like You extended mercy to me instead of perfectly deserved judgment. Let me obey You even when I differ with You so that my obedience is complete, godly and Christ-ish. In all ways, let me dear God, never be excited about what could bring the downfall of another. I choose to bless. I choose to go against even my own instinctive thoughts. Bless all Your people, always, even if I desire contrary to You. Bless. And bless again and again. Just because of the Cross. Let me echo the words of Him who hung so that I can walk. So that I too, can speak His language, the loving mind of Christ. This ultimately, is the whole duty of man. Im grateful. Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 19:10:26 +0000
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