Ephesians 5:14-17

Our lives are governed by time. That’s why we’re surrounded by clocks and calendars that dictate our activities. As the minutes tick by, we wonder where the day went. When responsibilities and pressures mount, we complain, “I just don’t have time to get it all done!” But the reality is that God has given us enough time to do exactly what He’s planned for our lives. Perhaps the bigger issue is whether we are using our time to do our will or the Lord’s.

Time is a gift from God, and He has allotted each of us a measure in which to live and accomplish His purposes. We have only two options—to spend it temporally on our own interests or invest it eternally. Since time can never be retrieved or reversed, it’s critical that we make the most of every opportunity the Lord provides.

The key to investing in eternity is following God’s plan for your life, not just filling your days with activities. Jesus was allocated just thirty-three years of life on earth, but only the last three were spent in fulfilling His Messianic ministry. To us that seems like a waste of time. Yet Christ accomplished everything His Father gave Him to do. That’s why on the cross He could say, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Scripture compares earthly life to “a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14), but eternal life never ends. It’s foolish to spend your life on a vapor when you can reap everlasting benefits by following God’s will for your time here. Each day is an opportunity to choose.

Christianity is nothing more than a set of rules! Have you ever heard this before? The question or objection, depending on how it is phrased, comes from both Christians and skeptics. So what does Christianity have to say to this?

It is helpful first to acknowledge that the Bible is indeed full of commands and instructions. But the role that the rules play is often misunderstood. Rules, even going back to the Ten Commandments, were not meant simply to tell us what to do and what not to do. They were intended to be a means by which humanity could come close to God and relate to God. If we think of how rules are applied in other areas of life, it is quite easy to understand how this works. Discipline, guidelines or putting deadlines in place are not an end in themselves; they are the means by which we achieve what we want to accomplish.

While I was doing undergraduate studies in Toronto I worked for the Toronto Blue Jays ground crew. While working there I noticed that the elite players would always be the ones to arrive at the ballpark early and leave late. They would come in early for strength and conditioning purposes, then perhaps look over strategies or game plans. Then they would join the rest of the team once the normal daily routines began. This was hard work and made for long days. Here is the point: the discipline of getting to the stadium early, doing an extra work out, working over game plans were not the goal. These were the means by which this player would attain the ultimate goal: victory.

The rules set out in Scripture were never meant to inhibit pleasure or desire, but to do the exact opposite.  Desire gave birth to commands, but somehow we have understood it the other way around, as if the commands were meant to create desire.

There is actually a moment documented in the Old Testament in which the people of Israel say that they would like to follow God’s commandments. However, Joshua, their leader at the time, turns them down.  Effectively, he says, ‘You don’t have what it takes.  You will turn away from God.  So, please, don’t commit to it.’  They push back and insist that they truly want to follow God.  Joshua reluctantly gives in and grants them their desire to form a covenant binding them to follow God’s rules.

The rules and statutes implemented into the life of Israel stemmed from a desire to serve the Lord.  Rules were not put in place to prevent desire from finding its fulfillment.  Rather, the rules were put in place to fulfill desire and avoid destruction.

A question that we need to ask ourselves is, ‘Where do rules find their starting point?’ In the Christian sense, does obedience come from a sense of duty or from a desire for God? If the drive to live for God comes from a sense of duty, our faith will become one long arduous journey. But duty is not where the gospel asks us to begin. We begin with a love and desire for God.

Imagine that I have just been away from home on a long business trip. When I return home I decide to stop off at the florist’s near my home because I want to get flowers for my wife. I purchase the flowers, then walk up to the door with flowers behind my back and knock on the door. My wife opens the door and I reveal the flowers to her.  She says, ‘Nathan, you shouldn’t have done this!  Why did you get me these flowers?’  I reply, ‘Because it is my duty!’

What do you think her response will be after she hears this? What if I respond to her question by saying that I got her those flowers because I love her—that there is nothing more I love than the sweet fellowship I have with her.(1)

This gets at the heart of Christian discipleship. Christianity does not start with rules, but the rules do make sense. They are put in place to fulfill our desire for God; not to coerce us into loving God.

Nathan Betts is a member of the speaking team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Toronto, Canada.

(1) Story as told by Michael Ramsden, director for the European office of RZIM.

Morning   “Thy paths drop fatness.” / Psalm 65:11

Many are “the paths of the Lord” which “drop fatness,” but an especial one is

the path of prayer. No believer, who is much in the closet, will have need to

cry, “My leanness, my leanness; woe unto me.” Starving souls live at a

distance from the mercy- seat, and become like the parched fields in times of

drought. Prevalence with God in wrestling prayer is sure to make the believer

strong–if not happy. The nearest place to the gate of heaven is the throne of

the heavenly grace. Much alone, and you will have much assurance; little alone

with Jesus, your religion will be shallow, polluted with many doubts and

fears, and not sparkling with the joy of the Lord. Since the soul-enriching

path of prayer is open to the very weakest saint; since no high attainments

are required; since you are not bidden to come because you are an advanced

saint, but freely invited if you be a saint at all; see to it, dear reader,

that you are often in the way of private devotion. Be much on your knees, for

so Elijah drew the rain upon famished Israel’s fields.

 

There is another especial path dropping with fatness to those who walk

therein, it is the secret walk of communion. Oh! the delights of fellowship

with Jesus! Earth hath no words which can set forth the holy calm of a soul

leaning on Jesus’ bosom. Few Christians understand it, they live in the

lowlands and seldom climb to the top of Nebo: they live in the outer court,

they enter not the holy place, they take not up the privilege of priesthood.

At a distance they see the sacrifice, but they sit not down with the priest to

eat thereof, and to enjoy the fat of the burnt offering. But, reader, sit thou

ever under the shadow of Jesus; come up to that palm tree, and take hold of

the branches thereof; let thy beloved be unto thee as the apple-tree among the

trees of the wood, and thou shalt be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. O

Jesus, visit us with thy salvation!

 

Evening  “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” / 1 Samuel 15:22

Saul had been commanded to slay utterly all the Amalekites and their cattle.

Instead of doing so, he preserved the king, and suffered his people to take

the best of the oxen and of the sheep. When called to account for this, he

declared that he did it with a view of offering sacrifice to God; but Samuel

met him at once with the assurance that sacrifices were no excuse for an act

of direct rebellion. The sentence before us is worthy to be printed in letters

of gold, and to be hung up before the eyes of the present idolatrous

generation, who are very fond of the fineries of will-worship, but utterly

neglect the laws of God. Be it ever in your remembrance, that to keep strictly

in the path of your Saviour’s command is better than any outward form of

religion; and to hearken to his precept with an attentive ear is better than

to bring the fat of rams, or any other precious thing to lay upon his altar.

If you are failing to keep the least of Christ’s commands to his disciples, I

pray you be disobedient no longer. All the pretensions you make of attachment

to your Master, and all the devout actions which you may perform, are no

recompense for disobedience. “To obey,” even in the slightest and smallest

thing, “is better than sacrifice,” however pompous. Talk not of Gregorian

chants, sumptuous robes, incense, and banners; the first thing which God

requires of his child is obedience; and though you should give your body to be

burned, and all your goods to feed the poor, yet if you do not hearken to the

Lord’s precepts, all your formalities shall profit you nothing. It is a

blessed thing to be teachable as a little child, but it is a much more blessed

thing when one has been taught the lesson, to carry it out to the letter. How

many adorn their temples and decorate their priests, but refuse to obey the

word of the Lord! My soul, come not thou into their secret.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.  1Samuel 15:22

Saul had been commanded to completely wipe out all the Amalekites and their cattle. Instead of doing so, he preserved the king and allowed his people to take the best of the oxen and of the sheep. When called to account for this, he declared that he did it with a view to offering sacrifice to God; but Samuel met him at once with the assurance that sacrifices were no excuse for an act of direct rebellion.

The sentence before us is worthy to be printed in letters of gold and to be displayed before the eyes of the present idolatrous generation, who are very fond of making a show of obedience but who utterly neglect the laws of God. Never forget that to keep strictly to the path of your Savior’s command is better than any outward form of religion; and to pay attention to His precept is better than to bring animals or other precious things to lay upon His altar.

If you are failing to keep the least of Christ’s commands to His disciples, I urge you to be disobedient no longer. All the pretensions you make of attachment to your Master and all the devout actions that you may perform are no substitute for disobedience. “To obey,” even in the slightest and smallest thing, “is better than sacrifice,” however pompous. Forget the Gregorian chants, sumptuous robes, incense, and banners; the first thing that God requires of His child is obedience; and even if you gave your body to be burned and all your goods to feed the poor, if you did not listen to the Lord’s commands, all your formalities would profit you nothing.

It is a blessed thing to be teachable as a little child, but it is a much more blessed thing, when one has been taught the lesson, to carry it out to the letter. How many adorn their temples and decorate their priests, but refuse to obey the word of the Lord! My soul, do not share in their deceit.

Family Reading Plan     Daniel 3     Psalm 107

Psalm 138:7-8

David was a man who walked through trouble on a regular basis. His psalms express the struggles and disappointments he faced, yet in the end, he always turned his focus back to God. The key to his victorious attitude was his strong faith in the Lord.

David was confident in God’s purpose. That’s why he could say, “The Lord will accomplish what concerns me” (v. 8). The only way we can walk through trouble and not be defeated is by keeping our focus on the Lord and His purpose. He has promised to do a good work in our lives, but sometimes the only way He can complete it is in valleys of hardship.

He relied on the Lord’s power. When troubles arise, we, too, can trust God to deliver us, but it may not be by escape. Sometimes He sustains us through the difficulty, walking with us every step of the way.

David believed the promises of God. Throughout these two verses, he repeatedly reminds himself what the Lord will do. We also need to have some specific promises from Scripture that will anchor us in times of trouble. The truths of the Bible are our most valuable possession when the storms of life assail us. Self-reliance or advice from others will never equal the help God’s Word offers us.

God assumes responsibility for accomplishing what concerns you in times of trouble. Your job is to believe that He will fulfill His purpose, His power is adequate, and He’ll keep every promise. When the trial has achieved His goal, He’ll remove it. Until then, keep walking with your eyes on Him.

With outstretched arms, Aaron blessed the people of Israel, putting the name of the Lord upon them: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”(1)

These were instructions from God, who told Moses to tell Aaron to bless the people of Israel. Benediction was to be an act of worship, a response of obedience to God’s instruction given to the priestly line. “Aaron was set apart,” we read. “He and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the LORD, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.”(2) The Aaronic benediction was a command, given in order that God’s name be placed upon God’s people.

So Aaron spoke the benediction over a people frustrated and wandering, and his words reached beyond him. There are moments often unknown to us with which God does the same. Like a river whose source does not know the far places it reaches, God’s name moves before the world; we don’t always know where it has come or where it is going. Yet we know that God’s hand is not too short to save. In the desert or on the mountaintop, God’s blessing reaches those who will receive and be filled. It is this God “who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land.”(3)

Aaron’s blessings on behalf of God were heard by the people, and honored by God. And this duty, done in obedience, acting in worship, was passed down amongst the descendents of Aaron. Under oath, the priestly line vowed to keep the covenant of God before his people and the hope of God’s saving name upon them. Of course, the vow of people is prone to breaking and the service of the priest short-lived.

The writer of Hebrews expounds, “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completelythose who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”(4) Through Christ, a better hope was introduced, by which the Holy Spirit moves the world that we can draw near to God. For as it is written, “Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Whereas the Aaronic blessing was intermittent, Christ’s blessing is continual.

It is significant here to note Luke’s retelling of the last hours with Jesus on earth, for Christ’s departure is marked with the gesture his life epitomized. Luke writes of Jesus, “Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.  While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.  And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,and were continually in the temple blessing God.”(5) Near the place where he raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father where he remains forever the High Priest. Before he left, pointedly, he offered the benediction. Hands and arms that days before were outstretched upon the Cross were lifted once more to bless the world.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Numbers 6:22-26.

(2) 1 Chronicles 23:13.

(3) Amos 5:8.

(4) Hebrews 7:23-25.

(5) Luke 24:50-53.

Morning   “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul.”   / 1 Samuel 27:1

The thought of David’s heart at this time was a false thought, because he

certainly had no ground for thinking that God’s anointing him by Samuel was

intended to be left as an empty unmeaning act. On no one occasion had the Lord

deserted his servant; he had been placed in perilous positions very often, but

not one instance had occurred in which divine interposition had not delivered

him. The trials to which he had been exposed had been varied; they had not

assumed one form only, but many–yet in every case he who sent the trial had

also graciously ordained a way of escape. David could not put his finger upon

any entry in his diary, and say of it, “Here is evidence that the Lord will

forsake me,” for the entire tenor of his past life proved the very reverse. He

should have argued from what God had done for him, that God would be his

defender still. But is it not just in the same way that we doubt God’s help?

Is it not mistrust without a cause? Have we ever had the shadow of a reason to

doubt our Father’s goodness? Have not his lovingkindnesses been marvellous?

Has he once failed to justify our trust? Ah, no! our God has not left us at

any time. We have had dark nights, but the star of love has shone forth amid

the blackness; we have been in stern conflicts, but over our head he has held

aloft the shield of our defence. We have gone through many trials, but never

to our detriment, always to our advantage; and the conclusion from our past

experience is, that he who has been with us in six troubles, will not forsake

us in the seventh. What we have known of our faithful God, proves that he will

keep us to the end. Let us not, then, reason contrary to evidence. How can we

ever be so ungenerous as to doubt our God? Lord, throw down the Jezebel of our

unbelief, and let the dogs devour it.

 

Evening  “He shall gather the lambs with his arm.” / Isaiah 40:11

Our good Shepherd has in his flock a variety of experiences, some are strong

in the Lord, and others are weak in faith, but he is impartial in his care for

all his sheep, and the weakest lamb is as dear to him as the most advanced of

the flock. Lambs are wont to lag behind, prone to wander, and apt to grow

weary, but from all the danger of these infirmities the Shepherd protects them

with his arm of power. He finds new-born souls, like young lambs, ready to

perish–he nourishes them till life becomes vigorous; he finds weak minds

ready to faint and die–he consoles them and renews their strength. All the

little ones he gathers, for it is not the will of our heavenly Father that one

of them should perish. What a quick eye he must have to see them all! What a

tender heart to care for them all! What a far- reaching and potent arm, to

gather them all! In his lifetime on earth he was a great gatherer of the

weaker sort, and now that he dwells in heaven, his loving heart yearns towards

the meek and contrite, the timid and feeble, the fearful and fainting here

below. How gently did he gather me to himself, to his truth, to his blood, to

his love, to his church! With what effectual grace did he compel me to come to

himself! Since my first conversion, how frequently has he restored me from my

wanderings, and once again folded me within the circle of his everlasting arm!

The best of all is, that he does it all himself personally, not delegating the

task of love, but condescending himself to rescue and preserve his most

unworthy servant. How shall I love him enough or serve him worthily? I would

fain make his name great unto the ends of the earth, but what can my

feebleness do for him? Great Shepherd, add to thy mercies this one other, a

heart to love thee more truly as I ought.

He will gather the lambs in his arms.   Isaiah 40:11

Our Good Shepherd has in His flock a variety of experiences. Some are strong in the Lord, and others are weak in faith; but He is impartial in His care for all His sheep, and the weakest lamb is as dear to Him as the strongest in the flock. Lambs are prone to lag behind, to wander, and are apt to grow weary; but from all the danger of these infirmities the Shepherd protects them with His arm of power. He finds newborn souls, like young lambs, ready to perish—He nourishes them until life becomes vigorous. He finds weak minds ready to faint and die—He consoles them and renews their strength. All the little ones He gathers, for it is not the will of our heavenly Father that one of them should perish.

What a quick eye He must have to see them all! What a tender heart to care for them all! What a far-reaching and powerful arm, to gather them all! In His lifetime on earth He was a great gatherer of the weaker sort, and now that He dwells in heaven, His loving heart extends to the meek and contrite, the timid and feeble, the fearful and fainting here below. How gently He gathered me to Himself, to His truth, to His blood, to His love, to His Church! With what effectual grace did He compel me to come to Himself!

Since my conversion, He has frequently restored me from my wanderings and once again gathered me within the circle of His everlasting arms! The best of all is that He does it all Himself. He does not delegate the task of love but condescends Himself to rescue and preserve His most unworthy servant. How will I love or serve Him enough? I long to make His name great to the ends of the earth, but what can my feebleness do for Him? Great Shepherd, add to Your mercies this humble request: Grant me a heart to love You more truly as I ought.

Family Reading Plan      Daniel 2    Psalm 106