WHEN GOD SPEAKS Part 1
Consultation is required
Like most Christians, I bring in every new year in prayer asking for God’s blessings to accomplish the things I aspire to do. However, as 2023 was approaching, I decided to ask God for all that He wanted me to focus on instead. Full of my own ideas of what He would say, I was very surprised by His simple response for me to 1) reach for everything in my heart to do and 2) to trust Him.
Initially, this made me both excited and nervous. Excited because it felt like I had an unlimited credit card to swipe at everything that's been stirring in my heart to do. But I also was nervous because I hadn't pursued God fervently concerning all aspects of my heart's desires, such as my motivations and my methods (M&M). Allow me this quick pause to emphasize just how crucial it is to consult God concerning our M&Ms!
Sometimes, good intentions can mask ill-willed motivations. For example, have you ever caught an attitude after holding the door open for someone who did not express any gratitude? The mere presence of your attitude means that your actions were not solely motivated by just a simple kind gesture. If it were so, then there would be no need to have an attitude because your good deed wasn’t done in exchange for gratitude. However, the fact that you had an attitude reveals that there was something else undergirding your act of kindness. The Apostle Paul and Timothy instruct the Church at Colossae about this in Colossians 3:24-24, “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” In other words, believers should be motivated to perform acts of kindness in service to the Lord period! So whether others see or express appreciation for our works shouldn’t be any concern for us because we look to God for our reward, not man!
Moreover, even when our motivations are set on honoring God, we should never assume that God automatically approves of our methods. See God is not just concerned with what we do, but also in how we get things done! The Apostle Paul explains this in his letter to the Church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 2:9, “Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly (resentfully) or under compulsion (forcefully), for God loves a cheerful giver.” In other words, the methods we use to carry out good acts matter! This extends even to how we obey God.
Take the Battle of Gilgal described in 1 Samuel 13 as an example. The Israelites were facing an army as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. As one would imagine, the Israelities became terrified and discouraged by their approaching enemy so much so that they hid in the most desperate of places. In an effort to encourage people back to the fight, King Saul decided to perform the burnt offering. And while King Saul’s actions were motivated by good intentions to encourage a disheartened people to grab hold of a sure victory, the fact remains that he disobeyed the Lord’s instructions to wait for the Prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 10:8). As a result, the kingly succession for his family ended with him.
King David, who succeeded King Saul, also disregarded the instructions of the Lord. King David took a group of men to recover the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6), which was a symbol of God’s presence amongst His people. After placing the Ark on an ox-cart, King David and the men proceeded to bring the Ark back into Jerusalem while celebrating God with joyous praises along the way. However, according to God’s instructions in Exodus 25:12-15, the Ark was supposed to be carried by two gold poles, not placed on an ox-cart. So as they traveled, the oxen stumbled and caused the Ark to wobble. In an effort to steady the Ark so that it didn’t fall, one of the men reached out his hands to catch it and was struck dead on the spot.
Taken together, we see that these men were determined to uphold the things of God and perhaps were motivated by good intentions. But in the end, they all had to face the consequences for their methods regardless of their intentions. In learning from these great men, I realized that before I reached for the things in my heart to do, it would be wise for me to consult the Lord for examination! (Psalm 139:23-24) For me, this required two things:
- Check the condition of my heart (When God Speaks part 2)
- Learn how to trust God (When God Speaks part 3)
By doing so enables me to move forward with all confidence knowing that my M&Ms please God!
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We hope you enjoyed this devotional! Be sure to check out parts 2 and 3 of “When God Speaks”. As always, we encourage you to study the scriptures for yourself and above all else, seek the Lord for understanding.
Peace and Kingdom Blessings Family!
~Righteous Crown
