Christians sometimes approach obedience as a way of avoiding the negative consequences of disobedience. They see obedience as a burden, not as the road to blessing.

But God intended our walk of faith to be a great adventure, motivated by our love for Jesus Christ. Obedience is about expressing our love for and trust in God, not about avoiding unpleasant consequences. That is why John can say, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

When we place our trust in the omnipotence of the Lord and act on His prompting, life becomes worthwhile and purposeful. We need not be afraid of the future because God already knows the outcome of our obedience—and we can trust in His promise that He works everything out for our good (Rom. 8:28). Although we may not understand how, we are confident that the Lord is continuously moving us through a variety of circumstances toward His overriding purpose for our lives. However, if we fail to obey Him because of a mistaken desire for safety, we reject the opportunity for God to demonstrate His awesome power in us.

 Anyone who spends any amount of time with young children knows that continual questions accompany their journey of discovering the world around them. A recent visit with one of my nieces reminded me of the importance of questions for the development of her young mind. She fired off her questions one after another, often barely hearing my answer before rapidly and excitedly asking her next. 

Answering the persistent questions of my niece is one of the joys of my relationship with her. Every once in a while, she asks me a question that I am unable to answer for her in a way that satisfies. And so, she continues to ask the same question over and over again to no avail. Other times, she asks for things I cannot give to her, or that require me to tell her “no.” In spite of frequent “no’s” or my lack of a satisfactory answer, I am her aunt. She will continue to ask me questions because I am her aunt. She rests, even without answers, in our relationship.

 The parallels with our spiritual questions are obvious. There is hardly a day that goes by that most of us do not wonder about some puzzling question involving faith. Unlike the child-like questions of curiosity and discovery, these are often questions that fill us with doubt. These are the questions that challenge our trust; not only in the answers we’ve been given that may no longer satisfy, but also in the character of the one who does not provide the answer we are looking for or, worse, seems sometimes not to answer us at all. 

 The writings of Habakkuk recorded in the Old Testament are filled with questions and very few answers. Habakkuk is one of the final prophets of Judah prior to her exile. The situation is grim and Habakkuk is the bearer of bad news.  Indeed, the opening verse is often translated, “The burden which Habakkuk the prophet saw.”(1) Habakkuk’s burden involved carrying the weight of God’s impending judgment. Habakkuk could not understand, for example, the method of God’s judgment of Judah by the Chaldeans. Even though Habakkuk understands that God uses the Chaldeans to bring judgment, he wonders aloud, “Why do you look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Will they therefore empty their net and continually slay nations without sparing?” (Habakkuk 1:13b, 17). As Habakkuk pours forth cries of woe against Judah for their oppression of the poor, their pride, and their idolatry, he still cries out for God to save. “In wrath remember mercy,” he prays.

 Habakkuk is clearly in conflict over God’s answer. The third and final chapter of this book records Habakkuk’s prayer: “Lord, I have heard the report about you and I fear.” He recounts the fearful record of God’s wrath poured out on other nations. This same wrath will come in the form of the Chaldeans against Judah, and Habakkuk trembles at the thought of it. “I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble.” Yet, in spite of the distress that is coming, Habakkuk trusts in the One who will remember mercy:

 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
and there be no fruit on the vines…
Yet, I will exalt in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.(2)
Recounting prayers made by King David and Moses before him, Habakkuk places his trust in the God who saved his people in generations long past. In this place of fearful waiting for God to answer with salvation, Habakkuk rests in a place without words or answers. It is a place of mystery and silence, a place in which the God who is and who has been his strength and salvation will again lift him up to the heights. 

 In our world of unanswered questions or in the difficult places where the answers are not what we want to hear, we are called to rest in this wordless place beyond answers.  Just as a young child rests in those relationships of trust, we can rest in God’s faithfulness from ages past. The wordless place can be for us the place of trust, instead of fear. 

 Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington. 

 (1) Habakkuk 1:1.  The word for “burden” is also translated “oracle.”  The Hebrew in Habakkuk is very difficult with many obscure Hebrew words that often do not occur anywhere else in the Old Testament. 
(2) Habakkuk 3:17, 18-19.  Verse 19 is a direct quote from 2 Samuel 22:34 and from Deuteronomy 33:29.

Morning    “Only ye shall not go very far away.”    Exodus 8:28

 This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor

bondaged Israelites must needs go out of Egypt, then he bargains with them that

it shall not be very far away; not too far for them to escape the terror of his

arms, and the observation of his spies. After the same fashion, the world loves

not the non-conformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent; it would

have us be more charitable and not carry matters with too severe a hand. Death

to the world, and burial with Christ, are experiences which carnal minds treat

with ridicule, and hence the ordinance which sets them forth is almost

universally neglected, and even condemned. Worldly wisdom recommends the

 path of compromise, and talks of “moderation.” According to this carnal policy,

purity is admitted to be very desirable, but we are warned against being too

precise; truth is of course to be followed, but error is not to be severely

denounced. “Yes,” says the world, “be spiritually minded by all means, but do

not deny yourself a little gay society, an occasional ball, and a Christmas

visit to a theatre. What’s the good of crying down a thing when it is so

fashionable, and everybody does it?” Multitudes of professors yield to this

cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin. If we would follow the Lord wholly,

we must go right away into the wilderness of separation, and leave the Egypt of

the  carnal world behind us. We must leave its maxims, its pleasures, and its

religion too, and go far away to the place where the Lord calls his sanctified

ones. When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames.

When the plague is abroad, a man cannot be too far from its haunts. The further

from a viper the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better. To

all true believers let the trumpet-call be sounded, “Come ye out from among

them, be ye separate.”

 

Evening   “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.”    

1 Corinthians 7:20

 Some persons have the foolish notion that the only way in which they can live

for God is by becoming ministers, missionaries, or Bible women. Alas! how many

would be shut out from any opportunity of magnifying the Most High if this were

the case. Beloved, it is not office, it is earnestness; it is not position, it

is grace which will enable us to glorify God. God is most surely glorified in

that cobbler’s stall, where the godly worker, as he plies the awl, sings of the

Saviour’s love, aye, glorified far more than in many a prebendal stall where

official religiousness performs its scanty duties. The name of Jesus is

glorified by the poor unlearned carter as he drives his horse, and blesses

 his God, or speaks to his fellow labourer by the roadside, as much as by the

popular divine who, throughout the country, like Boanerges, is thundering out

the gospel. God is glorified by our serving him in our proper vocations. Take

care, dear reader, that you do not forsake the path of duty by leaving your

occupation, and take care you do not dishonour your profession while in it.

Think little of yourselves, but do not think too little of your callings. Every

lawful trade may be sanctified by the gospel to noblest ends. Turn to the Bible,

and you will find the most menial forms of labour connected either with most

daring deeds of faith, or with persons whose lives have been illustrious

 for holiness. Therefore be not discontented with your calling. Whatever God has

made your position, or your work, abide in that, unless you are quite sure that

he calls you to something else. Let your first care be to glorify God to the

utmost of your power where you are. Fill your present sphere to his praise, and

if he needs you in another he will show it you. This evening lay aside vexatious

ambition, and embrace peaceful content.

. . . Having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.  2 Peter 1:4 

 Banish forever any thought of indulging the flesh if you want to live in the power of your risen Lord. It is incongruous for a man who is alive in Christ to dwell in the corruption of sin. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” said the angel to the women. Should the living dwell in the tombs? Should divine life be imprisoned in the burial ground of fleshly lust? How can we partake of the cup of the Lord and yet drink the cup of the devil? Surely, believer, from blatant lusts and sins you are delivered, but have you also escaped from those that are more secret and delusive? Have you left behind the lust of pride? Have you escaped from laziness? Have you given up trusting in earthly things? Are you seeking each day to live above worldliness, the pride of life, and the ensnaring grip of greed?

Remember, it is in order that you might know such victory that you have been enriched with the treasures of God. If you are really the chosen of God, and beloved by Him, do not allow all this lavish treasure of grace to be wasted on you. Pursue holiness; it is the Christian’s crown and glory. An unholy church is useless to the world and of no esteem among men. It is an abomination, hell’s laughter, heaven’s abhorrence. The worst evils that have ever come upon the world have been brought upon her by an unholy church. O Christian, the vows of God are upon you.

You are God’s servant: Act as such. You are God’s king: Reign over your lusts. You are God’s chosen: Do not associate with Satan. Heaven is your portion: Live like a heavenly spirit, and in this way you will prove that you have true faith in Jesus, for there cannot be faith in the heart unless there is holiness in the life.

Lord, I desire to live as one

Who bears a blood-bought name,

As one who fears but grieving Thee,

And knows no other shame.

Family Reading Plan

Isaiah 58

Matthew 6