Commitment

Commitment

Exodus 12: ⁴³ And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. ⁴⁴ But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. ⁴⁵ A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. ⁴⁶ In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. ⁴⁷ All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. ⁴⁸ And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. ⁴⁹ One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”

 

⁵⁰ Thus all the children of Israel did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. ⁵¹ And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the Lord brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies.

 

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GOD prophesied that JESUS would become the sacrificial lamb during the Passover. Now HE gives the commitment level for HIS people to follow.

 

My Observations:

• GOD first told Abraham to become circumcised.
• Circumcision was important to GOD, so HE made sure it was clear that HE wanted this for HIS people.
• GOD was separating HIS people from everyone else.

 

If anyone challenged GOD’s statement with “But what if” statements, GOD provided an answer that was clear. “But what if a stranger comes?” or “Should I force my employee to eat the Passover?” Many other questions could arise about the Passover feast, BUT GOD gave clear instruction about who should eat the meal.

 

Just like telling Moses to remove his sandals as he stood on Holy ground, GOD again, mentions circumcision as a sacred act HE desired for HIS people. Before the children of Israel could leave, GOD needed a commitment, namely circumcision of all males who were HIS followers They obeyed.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the need for circumcision to eat the Passover meal?
• Have you ever asked GOD for stuff but never considered what commitment HE wants from you?
• What are you doing to show GOD that you are committed to HIS cause?

Commitment Level Set

Commitment Level Set

Genesis 22: ⁹ Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. ¹⁰ And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

 

¹¹ But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

So he said, “Here I am.”

 

¹² And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

 

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GOD knows all. HE is omniscient.  HE did not discover Abraham’s commitment level when Abraham raised the knife to slay his son Isaac, rather GOD may have set the commitment level within him.

 

My Observations:

• Abraham was committed to GOD from his youth.
• Abraham heard and believed many passed down stories from his father and from his ancestors, Enoch and Shem.
• Abraham had no doubt that GOD would do as HE said HE would do, so he almost went through with the strange sacrifice.

 

This example of commitment was shown by Abraham for you and me. GOD did not have anything different for Abraham to do that required more training. GOD shared this commitment level with everyone who seeks to follow HIM, because, I believe, we can sometimes get so enamored with the thing GOD gives us, that we lose sight that the thing is still HIS.

 

HE may give us a vision, or a gift or earthly wealth and we hold onto it like it is ours. Every human is HIS, every animal and every place we build are HIS. Even our very lives are HIS. We may think we can do what we want to do, but followers of CHRIST are willing to sacrifice things that are precious to us, just because we love GOD. HE is willing to set a higher level of commitment within you and me.

 

Challenge

• Why did JESUS call to Abraham from heaven?
• Do you spend time worrying about something GOD has given you and now you may lose it?
• Are you willing to sacrifice the thing you love so your level of commitment to GOD can increase?

Committed versus Perfection

1 Kings 15: ¹¹ Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. ¹² He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. 

¹³ He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ¹⁴ Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.

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Tired of things going “wrong,” I decided to dedicate my life back to GOD. I mean everything else had failed, why not try this. I actually felt a load fall off of my mind. I could breathe again.  A couple of years into my renewed life things seemed to go extremely well.

But one year I hit a small blip as a family member’s health came into question. Then I got news of a friend who was dying. My car was broken into and other areas of my life were shaken.  “Wait! I thought life would be easy if I were to put my trust in GOD!” I huffed in disappointment. Maybe I’m not trying to live for HIM hard enough! I wonder if I need to give up on GOD.

• GOD understands the times when I feel discouraged.
• GOD understands the times when I feel like giving up.
• GOD understands the times when I feel disappointed.

Many times I thought “Nothing should go wrong because I’m living for GOD.” That statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Because I’m living for GOD, things will go seemingly wrong.

• GOD says there will be many trials in my life but HE wants me to trust HIM anyway.
• GOD says HE wants a simple relationship with me, not one where I expect the wrong things from HIM and get disappointed at the drop of a hat when HE doesn’t yield.
• GOD says love one another as I have loved you.

Sometimes I overcomplicate my relationship with GOD.  When things go wrong, I try to analyze my previous moves so I won’t fall into that type of trouble again. BUT GOD knows that when I live for HIM, the enemy will try to tear me down, accuse me and break my faith. GOD wants me to be committed. This means accepting there will be trials and keeping my trust in HIM.

• Have you lost your trust in GOD?
• Are you wondering where GOD is with you right now?
• Can you put your trust in HIM that HIS plan includes this trial?
• Can you help someone increase their faith in GOD today by telling your story?

How committed am I?

Acts 14:  ¹⁹ Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰ But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

 ²¹ They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, ²² strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

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Being part of “the club” was an aspiration of mine. After a number of golf lessons I was actually accepted but only on the perimeter of “the club.” I overheard a conversation talking about the body parts of specific coworkers. “Should I join in and compromise the values I stood for?” “Sure” I quickly thought to myself. I was finally in “the club” but at what cost?

• One reason living for GOD is so tough is because I want my sinful way.
• Another reason living for GOD is so difficult is because I want the things GOD doesn’t want me to have.
• Yet another reason living for GOD is so hard is because I don’t want to be uncomfortable or mistreated because I am associated with HIM.

“The Club” represented wealth, great food, and incredible vacations at exotic locations. What it did not have in it was faith, purity, and love. These strange things meant I had to actually give up being in “the club” in order to live for GOD.

I actually tried using faith, purity and love in “the club” and noticed I was placed back on the perimeter and finally I was out of “the club.” The more committed to GOD I became the more “the club” opposed me. I wasn’t even trying to convert them or even win them over nor did I judge their actions. After a while “the club” viewed my kindness as weakness and they hurled stones at me.

Thank GOD for rescuing me out of the club because now I can speak about HIM without worrying about what others think of me.

• Are you trying to be in “the club?”
• Are you following behind others who are not committed to CHRIST?
• Are you actively seeking GOD and things are getting harder for you?
• Won’t you “hang in there” even if life gets more difficult?