In addition to the main topic of Pastor David's word this past Sunday - Pulse and Impulse - he also painted an insightful contrast between reacting and responding. The temptation is strong, he explained, for us to react to troubles in the world rather than to respond to the call of Christ.
While daily life constantly sets before us the two trees of reacting to events vs. responding to the Lord, Pastor David explained the situation only grows more dire when the Lord calls us to something specific. The contrast intensifies. The risks and rewards lying before us grow exponentially.
Well, I was in the Book of Numbers in my bible reading this morning, and the scripture clearly showed me the error of God's people reacting to daunting events and obstacles, rather than responding with the obedience of faith.
"There's no water! We're sick and tired of this daily bread! The inhabitants of the land are too many and too big!" All of these should've been opportunities to trust the Lord and to look to Him, not only for the answer, but also for great testimony in the answer. Instead, they became occasions for sin and for testing the Lord in unbelief.
He had already proven Himself on multiple occasions in astounding ways. To still doubt Him was an insult. Further, asking Him to keep proving Himself only demonstrated nothing He could ever do would prove Himself, not to their satisfaction. Unbelief is a bottomless, whiny pit.
Those who would never believe kept asking, "What did He do to you? How did He make you see?" I love the response: "I already told you" and "Do you want to be His disciples, too?" As Jesus Christ taught us, some won't believe even if One rises from the dead and comes to them. The faithful testimony of prior witnesses of God should have been enough for them. If that wouldn't suffice, nothing would.
Reacting shows our mistrust in our abilities. That's fine. But it also discounts the grace of God available to us, as well as His Spirit coursing through us. That is not fine at all! But responding to the Lord sets Him free to fulfill Isaiah 26:12 before our eyes: "LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished You have done for us!"
It is no coincidence peace is mentioned in that verse. The work of God performed through us by the grace of God brings us into the rest of God. As it is written, "The God of Peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you" (Rom 16:20).
So, let's be intentional about this: Let's ask God to help us to not react in unbelief to life's demands and His calls, but to respond to both in faith, to our edification and His glory!
- Matt Schilling
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