Lent Day 20: Compliant or defiant?

I'm halfway to Day 40. Looking forward to Easter AND to watching programs on Roku. (Definitely in that order.)

Something about "you have to" sticks in my craw. If I really like the person who is giving orders, I don't mind jumping in to get the job done. If someone I don't respect demands a task from me, it's harder to comply.

I don't like self-disciplines either. "I will exercise" leads to avoidance. "I will eat healthy" makes me hunger for fatty, salty foods like dairy and meats. And, "I will write every day during Lent" creates a chore out of what comes naturally and what I usually love: writing.

What should you accomplish today? What MUST you do today?

Why not examine yourself on your attitude? Are you compliant? Internally willful and defiant (as is my nature)? Struggling for energy? Happy to check off a to-do list, whether it's yours or from another person?

An accountability friend helped me work through a situation where I had communicated, "DO THIS" instead of "Will you help me with this?" The person I tasked got angry and our relationship was stuck.

My friend asked me, "Do you like to be told what to do?"

It took no time at all for me to yelp, "NOPE!!!" and set a corrective course.

When I look at Jesus' life, I see utter compliance to the Father's will. He paid attention to Jewish laws and performed most of the rituals without question. But when there was a conflict - when human demands infringed on God's commands - he consistently lived out his priorities. Jesus obeyed his parents. He valued people. He honored and obeyed God.

I want to conform to Christ's nature, don't you? I want to instantly obey God, especially when that means respecting others he's set over (and beside) me.

When peers or bosses ask your help, does the way they ask matter to you? How do you want them to phrase their requests?

Read more:
*Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours. 1 Chronicles 29:11 NLT

*[Jesus said:] "I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going." John 14:31 NLT

*Worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water. Revelation 14:7

Moravian Prayer: Creator God, we pray to be more grateful for all that is presented to us each day: our natural surroundings; relationships; and all that life brings. Open our eyes every day, in every way, to wonder, awe and gratitude. Amen.

The hazards of God's "Yes"

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you begged God for it? Kept asking, perhaps even trying to blackmail God into a response using the parable of the widow and the unrighteous judge (who gave in to her request because of her nagging)?

Be careful what you ask for.

Jesus promised that His followers that if they lived in truth, doing the work of the Father, that they could ask anything in His name and it would be given.

That's a lot different from things we really really want because they sound good to have, move us forward in ambitions, or seem to prove to us that God likes us. We don't want to be ill. We don't want to lose our jobs. We want a bigger house (or to keep the one we have). Don't we deserve a good life if we are Christ-followers?

The Israelites thought they knew what would help them stay on track. They asked Samuel to find them a king like the nations had around them. Samuel prayed about their request and listened to God's response:

So Samuel passed on the LORD's warning to the people who were asking him for a king. …

But the people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. 'Even so, we still want a king,' they said. 'We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.'

So Samuel repeated to the LORD what the people had said, and the LORD replied, 'Do as they say, and give them a king.' Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home." 1 Samuel 8:10, 19–22

Even though God warned the nation about what would happen if He gave permission, they recklessly persisted in their request. So God said, "Yes." Subsequently, Israel's kings turned the nation to idolatry and war. Within 3 generations, the tribes split into two countries. After a few centuries, both were dragged into captivity and the Promised Land lay in ruins.

He also allowed Lot to become the father of two enemy nations of Israel through his daughters: we're talking about Lot, the nephew of Abraham (who was promised great blessings.) Moabites and Ammonites were Lot's descendents. 

God also let Hagar become the mother of Abraham's son Ishmael. And what a mess that's made of Middle East peace!

God allowed Hosea's wife to be a prostitute. He let Judas betray Jesus. He let well-intentioned Pharisees kill Stephen. And let churches choose to be lukewarm and indifferent. 

He warned against all of these things but didn't' prevent people from making choices that had severe consequences. 

Are we insisting God give us something (or allow us to indulge in behavior) that may bring more harm than good? Let's be careful what we ask for this Christmas season!

Read more:

*Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. Psalm 25:8

*Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel! In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God's patience in that dry wasteland. So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it" Psalm 106:13–15

*“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 1:18-20 NIV

*Through Jesus forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38

Moravian Prayer: O God, we sin, we speak too quickly, we give in to anger, we hold hate in our hearts, but you stand calm. May we feel the calmness of sin forgiven and may we be made clean now, today. Amen.