The cost of worship

“And you shall remember that the LORD your GOD led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Deuteronomy 9: 2

“And you shall remember”

Over and over again the church is told to remember what the LORD has done, to never forget the work of the LORD, to teach your children and grandchildren about GOD, and to build something in remembrance of what GOD has done. GOD knows our hearts and our tendencies to forget HIM, HIS faithfulness, and HIS promises.

“that the LORD your GOD led you”

GOD is proclaiming two important statements in this portion. One, that GOD is the leader and second, that GOD is their LORD. The LORD led Israel out of Egypt, it had nothing to do with Israel’s power or might. It was GOD who was their leader, a cloud by day and fire by night. GOD is our leader. If we are lost or confused or do not know where to go, GOD will lead us to the place where we belong.

GOD is proclaiming that HE chose Israel because HE is the LORD their God. The definition of LORD is a person who has power or authority of another person’s life. That is such a powerful definition. Have I given YOU the power and authority of my life GOD?? If I have not then are you the leader of my life or am I? Is GOD the LORD of your Life?

“all the way”

This portion makes me cry, GOD led them all the way. And he will lead us all the way as well. As you all know my life is in a transition period, to say the least. And I keep a promise that GOD gave me. I was feeling very lost and confused and I felt like I was in a raft floating farther and farther away from my dreams. And I was crying out to the LORD, “GOD what am I doing I feel like I am on a raft floating to the abyss while everyone is swimming feverishly to shore and some have already arrived on shore.” GOD so lovingly gave me the passage of Psalm 104. This passage talks about how GOD controls the waters, springs and oceans. How lovely is that! Even though I am floating out to sea, my GOD controls the waters that are carrying me! I have found such peace and rest in this.

“these forty years in the wilderness”

As I talked about last week, their journey was only supposed to take around two weeks and because of their unfaithfulness their journey was extended. Sometimes I feel like I have not been faithful and so GOD is not going to complete what he began in me, and yet GOD took them all the way. In the wilderness GOD never left them and even provided manna from heaven so that they always had food to eat. The wilderness was not their promised land, but even in the land of their disobedience GOD never left them.

“to humble you and test you”

God resists a prideful heart but gives grace to the humble. During their time in the wilderness GOD was transforming their prideful hearts into hearts that loved and reverenced GOD. GOD was also testing them to see if they really loved HIM. Going through testing is hard but there is always a blessing that comes after we have proved ourselves faithful.

“whether you would keep His commandments or not”

When things get tough it is so easy for me to feel like GOD has abandoned me. But it is in these times that I should keep GODS commandments. It has really been impressed on my heart that we will all stand before the LORD alone. All by ourselves. This has really made me accountable to what I do and what I do not do. It is very easy to go to our Christian friends/family and have them talk us out of living a sold out life for GOD. But you know what, only you will be held responsible for disobeying GOD. You cannot say, well my friends knew what I was doing it and they never stopped me, or my parents said it was okay. It is just going to be me and GOD, face to face. This really scares me. Just recently I had the opportunity to volunteer in the morgue. And let me tell you my friends nothing gets more real than being in the morgue. There was a patient who had just died, I saw his lifeless body on the table I got a scary feeling deep in my gut. In my mind I kept on thinking, “He is in the presence of the LORD! Right now this person is face to face with GOD.” I know that seems very obvious, but it was such a reality that hit me in the face. I cannot begin to explain the feeling. But at that moment I felt so shameful for not sharing my faith more. You see this patient was on my floor for 3 weeks. They were young and died in an accident and I could not even remember ever seeing them before. Yet I probably went into their room multiple times throughout the weeks. I encourage you to stop living a lukewarm life, stop living in the gray zone, and live for Christ. Because every single person that ever crosses our faces will one day be face to face with GOD, including you!

“Beware that you do not forget the LORD your GOD who brought you of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;” Deuteronomy 9:11

xoxo Ash B