Rules

Rules.  Sometimes they seem unnecessary.  Sometimes they seem constricting.  Limiting.  Confining.  Especially the most specific of rules.  Often I wonder if the rules are in place simply to give the ruler a power kick.

            When it comes to rules, I think you’re either a follower or a breaker.  You follow them to a T, trusting that they’re there for a reason, whether or not you understand the purpose. Or you rebel and break the rules simply because you can.  I must admit I’m completely a follower.  I follow the rules, blindly, simply because they’re there, and I just CAN’T break them.  At school, I was the naïve teacher’s pet, abhorred by the other students, because I obeyed every rule – and I mean, every rule:  Don’t talk in the hallways.  Walk.  Don’t cheat.  Share.  Do your homework and turn it in on time.  The one time I scored a detention was a misunderstanding on the teacher’s part and didn’t count on my record.  I was the perfect student.

            Why?

            At the time, I thought it was because that made me a good person.  It might have been a bit arrogant of me, but I thought that made me a “good” Christian.  Obey because the teacher said to obey. 

            Well, there are a lot of rules in the Old Testament.  Just throughout Exodus and Leviticus alone, God gives the Israelites thousands of lines of specific instructions to build the Tabernacle and all of its holy contents.  Then He gave them directions on offering sacrifices and rules for social conduct.  Detailed rules that explained the food they were allowed to eat, the type of lifestyle they were to live, and especially commandments governing their relationships.   

He expected perfect obedience.  If they disobeyed, they would face the consequences.  In Leviticus He warns that the disobedient would be “cut off” or even “put to death.”  Serious stuff.  And it all leads me to wonder why it was so important.

To make their lives miserable?

To test their loyalty?

“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean” (Lev. 10:10).

When I read Leviticus before, I missed so much, trying to fly through it because I was bored.  I missed the characters and stories of the first two Books.  I wanted more of the mystery and excitement, the grief and joy I experienced through the lives of the characters. 

But now, I see Leviticus has its own characters, its own story.  God, Moses as the narrator, and the people of Israel.  He presents them with a holy lifestyle and they are to follow His lead.  He commands them to “consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God.  Keep my decrees and follow them.  I am the Lord who makes you holy….who has set you apart from the nations” (20:7-8, 24).

Over the winter, I studied the Gospels and made a startling discovery.  John 14 & 15 record Jesus’ message of obedience, explaining that obedience is the fulfillment of love.  “If you love Me, you will obey what I command…My Father will love him, and we will come to Him and make our home with Him” (14:15, 23).

Then through our obedience, we receive joy: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love.  I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (15:10-11).

            All this to say, I don’t believe the commands of Exodus and Leviticus were just for the Israelites.  They were under that Old Law, one that required sacrifices that are now unnecessary after Jesus became that sacrifice.  However, these rules are still important for believers today - rules that focus on idolatry, sexuality, profanity, compassion, revenge, sorcery, respect, ect.  Galatians reminds us that once Christ died and resurrected, a believer, Jew or Gentile alike, is a child of God through faith in Christ (3:26-29).  Now, we don’t have to offer sacrifices to receive God’s forgiveness (praise the Lord!), but I think it benefits us to follow the standards He set for the Israelites. 

            And I believe He desires for us to obey.  Not simply because the rules are in place, but because we love Him and we demonstrate our love for Him through our obedience.  My immature perspective of rules as a child was full of pride and fear.  I wanted to please my parents, teachers, and relatives, desiring to be in their good graces and avoid detention.  Now I realize that it’s all a matter of the heart.  Obey not out of tradition or fear.  But out of love for the Savior who became the sacrifice. 

            In the end, I think the root of our problems with rules is (again) trust.  Do we trust Him enough to follow His commands?  To know without a doubt that the rules are there for a reason?  For our good?

            I’m learning to do that.  What can I say? I’m a work in progress.  But I’m encouraged by His promises!  Have you noticed that each command is followed by a promise? 

-                    “ ‘Follow My decrees and be careful to obey My laws, and you will live safely in the land’” (Lev. 25:18). 

-                    “ ‘Do not make idols…Observe My Sabbaths…If you follow My decrees, I will provide rain for your harvest.  I will grant peace in the land. I will look upon you with favor and make you fruitful and increase in number, and I will keep My covenant with you’ ” (26:1-13).

These are just a couple of examples.  I could quote the entire book of Leviticus.  Instead, I’m just going to trust that He knows what’s best for me, take His advice, and expect His promises to be fulfilled! J

Long Way Home

            I had to take the long way home a few nights ago.  I had to stop for milk, which meant I had to take another route to pass the grocery store.  It had been a long day, I was tired and grumpy and ready to fall into bed, and I just wanted to get home.  Can you relate?  When I finally made it to bed, I pulled out my Bible and God began to work. 

By the way, I’ve made it to Exodus!!!  (I didn’t skip Genesis…I just read it before I started this thing.  I hadn’t yet considered doing a blog, and by the time I made the decision, I was already with Moses in Egypt.  You’ll just have to pick up with me there!)

            Before I get ahead of myself, let me say -

Wow.  Tonight I’m overwhelmed.  I’ve been committed to my Bible study this week, and the Lord has been faithful to meet with me each day.  And WOW.  Our discussions have been out-of-this-world cool.  This past weekend my pastor encouraged us to really be in the moment, paying attention to what God wants to teach us throughout the day. He inspired me to be more present in God’s Presence.  I mean, I might read the Bible, but am I really paying attention to what God is saying?  Christ often said, “He who ears let him hear.”  Am I “hearing” and “seeing” all that He’s trying to show me? 

            That has been my goal for the week.  Every time I’ve opened the Word, I’ve prayed that I’ll reach farther for Him and the lessons He wants me to learn.  And He has answered my prayer abundantly!  He has been teaching and comforting and strengthening and opening my eyes with each chapter. 

            So, back to the other night… I read Exodus 13-14. At this point the Israelites have just gained their freedom from bondage in Egypt and are about to cross the Red Sea.  Three things melted into my heart as I explored these chapters.

1.     Sometimes the Lord takes us the long way around to get us home.

v. 17 and 18: “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that way was shorter.  For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people around the desert toward the Red Sea.  The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.”

            Why did God do this?  To humor Himself as He watched them flounder in the desert and whine about their thirst?  No.  He took them this way so they wouldn’t become fearful of the Philistines, leading them to war or back to slavery in Egypt.  He did this for their benefit.

            Then I thought about getting home later than I had planned.  I wasn’t happy – and I may have complained about it as I pulled into my driveway.  So immature, I know.

Ironically, I found out the next morning that somewhere along my usual route to work there was a car accident at just the time I would have been coming home.  Had I not needed to stop for milk, I could have easily been in that accident.  Yet, God sent me the long way home and saved me from injury, despite my grumbling!

2.     God NEVER leaves us. 

v. 21-22: “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light…Neither the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

            He didn’t leave them to wander around on their own.  He not only chose the best route for them, He provided for them so that they could travel by day or night. 

            He does the same for us, but sometimes we don’t see it.  I might never understand the reason for the “long ways” in my life, but I can trust that He knows best for each of us.  And I think it’s important to remember that sometimes my experiences indirectly impact others around me – in ways I’ll never know!  He sees the big picture.  If He says to go one way, I can trust that He is sovereign and caring and will provide for me all that I need – and He’ll never leave me along the way!

3.     God doesn’t just promise deliverance; He promises to fight for me! 

14:13-14: “ ‘Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today…The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.’ ”

            Yep.  It brings to mind the old cliché: Pick your battles.  As I read this, I realized that I often fight battles that don’t need to be fought – or battles that I don’t need to be fighting.  I either pick fights when I’m upset, or I go ahead of God and act, and that never turns out well. 

            Friend, HE IS FIGHTING YOUR BATTLES.  The Creator and Orchestrator of the universe is fighting for you and me.  But, are you being still?  Or, are you fighting back?  When we act without His counsel, we aren’t just fighting the opposition, we’re fighting God.  Learn from my mistakes: Don’t.  Just be still.  Trust that He’s already got it under control, and in His perfect time, He’ll reveal the victory.

            Being still isn’t easy for a perfectionist like me.  I’m constantly worrying over little things, trying to fix problems, etc.  But I really think the big idea here is the issue of trust.  Do I trust God enough to say, “I don’t know why this is happening, and I might never know, but I know that You do.  You’re in control.  You’re working it out for me.  And it’s all good”? It’s a huge step, a difficult one.  One of surrender.  But it’s so worth it!  

Confessions

I have two.  The first is that I'm lazy.
     Hey, ya’ll.  I’m Cait.  And I am a recovering English major, recent graduate of Waynesburg University, now employed in social work. Don’t worry.  You’ll no doubt hear more about that later as we continue chatting. 

I haven’t written for, well, months.  Maybe even a year.  I graduated over a year ago and to be completely honest, I think I’ve sat down to write only a handful of times.  I know.  I’m putting the L to my forehead as I type.  So these posts are going to be rusty, but please…hang with me.  Hopefully I’ll get back on the metaphorical bike as we go along.

That’s one reason why I decided to go through with this blog thing.  Not because of the gazillion people who want to read my thoughts.  And certainly not because I enjoy sharing my thoughts.  Quite the contrary actually.  It’s because I need the practice and this might keep me accountable.

Speaking of accountability, that reminds me of my second confession: I'm unfaithful.

Have you ever noticed that reading the Bible can be really HARD sometimes? There are weeks when I feel like I have barely enough time to sleep, let alone keep my eyes open long enough to read.  Then it’s my schedule – I wake up, go to work, then come home and realize it’s time for bed.  Or it’s the content…I mean, have you read Leviticus? 

Now, I love studying the Word.  I do.  I love my Savior, and the primary way for me to fall more deeply in love with Him is through His Word.  But I admit that I’m not always as committed as I should be.
     Last month I made the decision to read the Bible from start to finish.  Genesis through Revelation.  I don’t know if it’ll be in a year, but I really don’t think that matters, as long as I’m reading, studying, contemplating and meditating, focusing completely on what the Lord wants to tell me.  And instead of just jotting down notes in my little journal that I’ll probably never come back to, I thought this – taking those notes and actually reflecting enough to write about the Scripture – might be more effective in my effort to digest and apply them to my life

So.  Here goes.  Feel free to tag along.  I welcome the company!