The Lord is MY shepherd...

Simply stated, God is always consistently, patiently, firmly leading me to a place of trust. That IS His motivation.

I am a student of human behavior. My job demands it. Working with families, residents, staff, potential customers, etc., my success depends on my ability to discern what motivates people. Is this person right for this particular job? Will their motivation carry them through the more difficult tasks and respond appropriately? While I am not a perfect student, I have definitely improved in my abilities to 'read' individuals behavior and come to some form of assessment of  their motives.

So what is my 'read' on God? First, I affirm that God is in control i.e. that everything that comes my way, God has specifically intended for me. Second, I affirm that God's intention towards me is for my good. He is not seeking to punish or mislead me for His benefit or amusement. He desires nothing for me but good. With these two presuppositions in mind, I can reflect on the environment in which God has lead me. 

I find myself in multiple circumstances of daily life that,  1)  I have no control over 2) impact myself, my family, my friends, my life and; 3) I deeply care about these issues and the affects it has on all of us.  My 'fix-it' mentality kicks in and I do the research and study the options which leads me right back to the realization that I have no control over this. It is an unbroken cycle of anxiety, determination, frustration, despair and then back to anxiety. I am left with only one option. I am 'herded' by God to a position of trust in Him. That must be the place He wants me and that is the motivation of God.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7)

Footnote: Did you ever try to direct a cat someplace he didn't want to go? You do the two-step shuffle, wave your hands like a movable gate, and 50% of the time you fail to get him where you need him to go. I can identify with the cat...

The Pleasure of Obedience

Part of my daily routine is to listen to my bible on my blackberry as I drive to work. It's a short drive, so I don't get too far and if I stop it midway through a chapter, it starts at the beginning of that chapter the next day. A good arrangement as I fade in and out of paying attention (both to driving and to the reading....)

As I was listening to Exodus 25 and the details God gave to Moses in the construction of the sanctuary et al., I wondered, "What does God gain from such specific details?" Really, does it matter whether the ark was 27 inches  or 36 inches? Does it have to be acacia wood, after all hickory has a beautiful grain? And the lamp stands would be better balanced with seven branches instead of six? Do all these details 'please' God? Is it to 'appease' Him? 

Time after time as we read scripture, we ask ourselves, “Why did God do that?” And as we mull it over, mature, experience life, we come back to it and discover that it was for us, for our good. God’s intent for us is always good and His instructions are for our good. 

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good." (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

God gets nothing of value, has no need, is not improved in any way by what we do or say. And so as I listened to the intricate details of the temple, it occurred to me that the instructions were given for no other reason than to give us the “pleasure of obedience.” I imagined the workers creating the curtains, molding and sculpting the utensils to exact specifications. Side by side comparing notes and referring back to God’s instructions on how to construct the worship center. There was a continuity of thought and purpose as they followed the directions and a sense of accomplishment that they had followed it to the best of their ability. 

Part of our struggle with obedience today is we have many earthly masters who have directed us wrong, whose intent is not for our 'good' and who show an imperfect understanding of the situation or the path. We question their motives, second guess their directives, and generally lack commitment to their cause. And through our doubt, we become dissatisfied and restless, robbing ourselves of the pleasure of obedience. While I don't encourage a 'blind' obedience to our earthly leaders, I do need to affirm the fact that regardless of the leadership, God is the one ultimately in control. Do I trust HIM? 

His intent for me is for my GOOD(1). 
His love for me is UNDENIABLE(2). 
His plan for me is PERFECT(3).

So now my part is trust. 

Lord, I need Your help to trust You daily, to rest in Your plan for me, to grasp Your love, and to experience the pleasure of obedience to You. Amen.

Perfect obedience would be perfect happiness, if only we had perfect confidence in the power we were obeying.

___________________________________________________________

(1) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

(2) "For God so loved the world,^[i] that he gave..." (John 3:16)

(3)"This God—his way is perfect;    the word of the Lord proves true;    he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him." (Psalms 18:30)