Exception or Rule of Life?

"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water."

Psalm 63:1

David made it a daily practice to seek the LORD early and often.  He had the perspective that seeking and  communing with God was necessary for his life, even as those who exert themselves need to drink more water to stay hydrated.  In a dry and thirsty land where there was no water, God proved Himself able and powerful to reveal Himself to David--the God who gives living water for our souls.

It is important to realise seeking God for David was his rule of life and not just an exception in dire times of need.  We do well to examine ourselves and see what our established rules of life are, especially concerning seeking the LORD.  Considering this in light of diet and exercise is a good illustration to see why we can languish physically and apply it to our spiritual walk with Jesus as Christians.  I have discovered when I am disciplined to exercise daily as a rule, my physical health improves more than when exercise is an exception to my typical daily routine of being sedentary.  If I am watching my portions and being intentional to eat healthier foods as a rule, I can make an exception for occasional sweet treats without ill effect.  But if my rule of life slides into eating more than I need to and having dessert after every meal, I will not see any physical benefit from denying myself one dessert.

The spiritual impact of seeking God as an exception rather than our rule of life is seen in king Saul.  Saul was the sort of fellow who sought the LORD when he was faced calamitous trouble but not something he cared to do every day.  Early in his reign when Philistines mustered to attack, he offered a sacrifice to God out of the fear of man.  We do not read of Saul building an altar to God like Abraham or offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving like Solomon of his free will at any time.  Because seeking God was not his rule of life, when he tried to seek God he found it impossible--like people whose rule of life is binge eating junk food who hope skipping a meal will help them drop 20 kilos.  Towards the end of Saul's reign 1 Samuel 28:5-6 says, "When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶ And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets."  Saul's pride and self-confident rule of life exposed his poverty of heart before God, and when God did not answer when Saul hoped, he sought a medium in violation of God's word.  Doing his own thing and going his own way was Saul's rule of life, and thus his attempts to seek God were in vain.

David made seeking God his daily and continual practice, even as Daniel knelt three times a day and prayed facing Jerusalem.  When the command from Darius was signed into law that he alone could be the one to whom prayers were directed for a month, Daniel did not make an exception to his rule of life governed by God:  he turned towards Jerusalem with open windows and prayed to the God of Israel.  Now there is a man who obtained favour from God!  When he prayed for the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, God answered with a vision in the night.  After being thrown into a den of hungry lions, God sent His angel to shut the lion's mouth all night and Daniel was unharmed.  God was with Daniel and gave him wisdom beyond his peers because he made seeking and praying to God his rule of life without exception.  It would have been easy for Daniel to become slack with devotion, reading God's word and worship of God when there was no temple, synagogue or priests in Babylon.  He sought the LORD as a man greatly loved of God, and he was told this personally by an angelic messenger because seeking God was Daniel's rule of life.

How about you?  Is seeking God early and meditating on Him night and day your rule of life or is it more of an exception to your normal routine?  Do not be surprised when you do not grow much spiritually or benefit much from times in prayer and Bible reading when you have reserved these activities only for trying times.  Reading the Bible for a few minutes will not offset all the nonsense we can meditate on as a rule throughout the day.  Worship God and make seeking the LORD your rule of life, and you will find yourself satisfied in Him regardless of your circumstances.  If you go to church, pray or wait on the LORD as an exception to your practice and rule of life governed by faith in God, don't be surprised when nothing seems to make a difference for you practically and spiritually.

Sizing Up the Temple

In the book of Revelation, chapter 11 begins with John being given a reed and told to measure the temple, the altar and those who worship there.  This prompted me to look at other times in the Bible where God's house was measured, notably in Ezekiel 40-43.  In the 25th year of Israel's captivity, Ezekiel saw a vision of the new temple that would be constructed in Jerusalem.  This would have been a thrilling revelation to Ezekiel and God's devout people who knew the temple had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians.  Ezekiel saw a man with a line of flax and a reed who carefully measured the temple and rooms in great detail.  Because this temple far exceeds the size and scope of the second temple--including the extensive renovations later done by Herod--many see this as the pattern of the Millennial temple which has yet to be built.

Ezekiel 40:4 says,  “And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see."  This is a good exhortation for all God's people to take to heart and practice, and it is really the purpose behind posting to this blog.  As the LORD opens our eyes to see and consider what we observe in the world and His word, we ought to value the wisdom of God above gold.  God revealed much to Ezekiel, not merely for his own training or edification, but to the end he would declare to the house of Israel everything he saw.  The point was hardly for people to look on Ezekiel as knowledgeable or clever, but that they would hear the word of the LORD and grow in the knowledge of God, His goodness and understand His plans for them.  God will be faithful to guide us into truth and will surely fulfill His promises.

After a length measuring session, Ezekiel 43:10-12 reveals one purpose of God sizing up this new temple in detail:  "Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. ¹¹ And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. ¹² This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple."  At one stage the children of Israel had a temple that stood in Jerusalem, and the fact it had been destroyed was a source of great grief and sadness.  God had given His people instruction and warnings in the Law of Moses they did not heed, and He sent many prophets to expose their sin and need for repentance.  Those people who felt ashamed for their sin that led to their exile, the overthrow of Israel and destruction of the temple were to be given more details concerning new designs for the temple.  People who lamented their sin and felt strongly the loss of the temple would rejoice in the hope of a new temple where holiness is the law.

Though God's people had been unfaithful to Him, He remembered them and would restore His people to their land.  A new temple would be built, and the sanctified descendants of the priests would again offer sacrifices to the God of Israel according to the Law.  People who would remain in captivity for decades would be brought out in due time as the LORD promised in Ezekiel 43:27:  “When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,' says the Lord GOD."  The long season of captivity would end with acceptance by God when atonement was provided for sins.  By faith in Jesus Christ who shed His blood for sinners, Christians enjoy acceptance by God and are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  By the Gospel we are "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" apart from the Law as Romans 10:4 affirms:  "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."

Having been declared righteous by faith in Jesus our Saviour, we ought to embrace individually the law of the temple in Zion:  "Be holy, for I am holy."  The mountaintop was holy because God was there, and we ought to live holy lives sanctified by God's wisdom and word through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  We have been freed from the guilt and shame of sin, yet sin's shamefulness ought to remind us to heed the words of Christ and to obey Him, loving one another as He loves us.  Jesus would have us try on holiness for size, for we are thus clothed as God's people by spiritual regeneration and acceptance into God's family.  Our inspiration of obedience is the goodness of our God and the love He has poured out on us, and may we follow His example of holiness and wisdom always.

God Helps Us

I remember feeling a bit indignant in my youth when someone claimed a phrase quoted in Benjamin Franklin's 1757 Almanac was in the Bible:  "God helps those who help themselves."  While there is likely debate about where the maxim originated, there is no question theologically speaking it is heretical.  The sentiment denies the grace of God and suggests not only can we earn God's favour or help, but that we can indeed help ourselves!  Paul said that in his flesh dwelt no good thing, and he said this as a man filled with the Holy Spirit.  Indeed, only one born again and illuminated by the Holy Spirit could know and willingly acknowledge such a thing.

I was reminded of this quote by a similar comment quote from a politician in the news today.  In urging prospective voters to consider voting for her, it was reported she said:  "In just nine days, we have the power to decide the fate of our nation for generations to come. And on this day, then on this beautiful Sunday morning, I am reminded God expects us to help Him."  Elections can have a big impact on the policies and people in a nation (democratic or otherwise), yet it is God who raises up kings and deposes them (Daniel 2:21).  Like the quip parroted in the Almanac, the Bible never teaches or suggests God has any expectation or need for man to help Him:  it is always God who helps mankind.  He is the almighty, omnipotent God, and thus we perpetually need His help.

Based on these two quotes, it is evident some maintain an unbiblical stance concerning our self-sufficiency--that we can help ourselves, and God expects us to help Him.  It may surprise people Jesus explained God called Himself the Helper, the advocate of all who trust in Him.  Jesus taught His disciples in John 14:25-26:  "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."  Since the triune God identifies Himself as the Helper, to say we are expected to help ourselves or God is to suggest He is not uniquely divine and we are divine ourselves.  We are God's servants, and it is only with His help and empowerment can we begin to do His will and remain faithful.

In His grace God gives us the ability to help others on a human level, and it is good we realise this capacity comes from Him.  But let us not be deluded to proudly think God is reliant on our contributions for His plans to be perfectly administered.  The humble, godly attitude Jesus taught His disciples to embrace is summarised well in Luke 17:10:  "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do."  God's love for us far exceeds the appreciation a master has for a faithful servant.  God does not expect us to help Him but He commands us to hear and do what He says.  It is God who helps His people as David sang in Psalm 28:7:  "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him."

Made Up Worship

My evening Bible reading has been from the NIV, a translation I am not as familiar with as the KJV or NKJV.  I have found it more similar to those other versions than different, and sometimes there are renderings that put a fresh spin on verses I can finish by memory.  An example that illustrates this well is found in Isaiah 29:13:  "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men."  This translation makes it abundantly clear how distant, impersonal and rule-oriented the worship of God had become.  God desired a relationship with the Hebrews made possible through faith in Him shown by obedience to His Law, yet it was reduced to what people did or didn't do.  Such "worship" falls woefully short of God's design.

People thought they were worshipping God through their offerings, sacrifices, tithes, songs and observances of feasts, and for those who trusted and loved God it was a genuine outlet of praise and thanksgiving in which God was pleased.  But God observed people who said the right things to honour God, yet their hearts remained far from Him.  Their worship of God was made up--it had become commands and prohibitions cobbled together by men who did not know God themselves.  This is not to say among the Hebrews there were not many people who knew and feared God in truth, yet God's judgment concerning these people who claimed to honour and worship God but remained far from Him is the point made.

Though worshippers remained distant from God, He followed up by saying in Isaiah 29:14:  "Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."  God would confound the priests and Levites, the learned experts of the Law of Moses, and He would cause the studious and intelligent scribes to wonder.  He would blow their minds by exposing their spiritual poverty and lack.  They had been so focused on performing the letter of the Law according to tradition they missed drawing near to God and worshipping Him in spirit and in truth.  God would do a miracle in causing children to know and worship God with a depth they had not experienced.  We can be guilty of setting the bar exceedingly low for youth to desire holiness in the fear of God, but God would put this desire in their hearts by His grace.

See how the chapter ends in Isaiah 29:22-24:  "Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the house of Jacob: "No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale. ²³ When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. ²⁴ Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction."  The God who redeemed Abraham would also redeem his wayward children.  The next generation would be the work of God's hand who would keep His name holy and stand in awe of God.  The wayward child and youth would grow in understanding of God and complainers would receive instruction by the LORD.  How awesome is God to do this, and He continues to do so to this day.

As children of God today by faith in Jesus, it is possible we sing worship songs in church and read the Bible as something we know is good and needful--but our hearts can remain distant from Him.  Spiritual disciplines can become a checklist we are not even faithful to do, and we can do them without our hearts being in it because our affections and desires are elsewhere.  Yet even if our lukewarm and hard-hearts set a lame example for others to follow, God is looking for those who worship Him in spirit and in truth.  As He spoke to young Samuel in the darkness, God continues to speak to children, youth and older people set in their own ways to draw us to Himself by a relationship with Jesus Christ.  As God's handiwork as Christians, let us acknowledge the LORD in all our ways, draw near to the God of Israel to stand in awe of Him, and gain understanding of God as we worship Him with our whole hearts--not reducing worship to rules we follow.