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1 July 2008
Word on the Web
Obadiah 1 v 5-9
"You will really be ruined!
If thieves came to you,
if robbers came by night,
they would steal only enough for themselves.
If workers came and picked the grapes from your vines,
they would leave a few behind.
But you, Edom, will really lose everything!
People will find all your hidden treasures!
All the people who are your friends
will force you out of the land.
The people who are at peace with you
will trick you and defeat you.
Those who eat your bread with you now
are planning a trap for you,
and you will not notice it."
The Lord says, "On that day
I will surely destroy the wise people from Edom,
and those with understanding from the mountains of Edom.
Then, city of Teman, your best warriors will be afraid,
and everyone from the mountains of Edom will be killed.
These verses foretell the total destruction of them and their nation, apparently without any possibility of reprieve being offered.
Somehow this doesn't seem to fit very well with the New Testament God, whose principal characteristics are love, mercy and grace. It all comes down to actions and consequences. The Edomites have acted contrary to God's will, even though, having been descended from Esau, they were a part of God's family and should have been able to discern how God wanted them to behave in any given situation. And now they are going to face the consequences of their actions.
So it is with us. Every day we make choices over our actions, and we always need to keep in mind that our actions have consequences, some of which may be trivial, but in other cases might be devastating. We can choose to say a kind word, or we can choose to say a harsh one. We can choose to perform an act of kindness towards someone, or we can choose not to. And sometimes, doing the "right" thing can be costly. Much of the time, the right course of action will be obvious, but sometimes we will need to discern God's will for us if we are to choose to live as He wants us to and so to receive the full measure of blessings He has in store for us.
Father, please help us to always choose to do the right thing, even when it involves a personal cost to us. Please remind us to seek your will for us when we are faced with the big decisions in life. Amen.
Written by John Jackson
Word on the Web
Obadiah 1 v 5-9
"You will really be ruined!
If thieves came to you,
if robbers came by night,
they would steal only enough for themselves.
If workers came and picked the grapes from your vines,
they would leave a few behind.
But you, Edom, will really lose everything!
People will find all your hidden treasures!
All the people who are your friends
will force you out of the land.
The people who are at peace with you
will trick you and defeat you.
Those who eat your bread with you now
are planning a trap for you,
and you will not notice it."
The Lord says, "On that day
I will surely destroy the wise people from Edom,
and those with understanding from the mountains of Edom.
Then, city of Teman, your best warriors will be afraid,
and everyone from the mountains of Edom will be killed.
These verses foretell the total destruction of them and their nation, apparently without any possibility of reprieve being offered.
Somehow this doesn't seem to fit very well with the New Testament God, whose principal characteristics are love, mercy and grace. It all comes down to actions and consequences. The Edomites have acted contrary to God's will, even though, having been descended from Esau, they were a part of God's family and should have been able to discern how God wanted them to behave in any given situation. And now they are going to face the consequences of their actions.
So it is with us. Every day we make choices over our actions, and we always need to keep in mind that our actions have consequences, some of which may be trivial, but in other cases might be devastating. We can choose to say a kind word, or we can choose to say a harsh one. We can choose to perform an act of kindness towards someone, or we can choose not to. And sometimes, doing the "right" thing can be costly. Much of the time, the right course of action will be obvious, but sometimes we will need to discern God's will for us if we are to choose to live as He wants us to and so to receive the full measure of blessings He has in store for us.
Father, please help us to always choose to do the right thing, even when it involves a personal cost to us. Please remind us to seek your will for us when we are faced with the big decisions in life. Amen.
Written by John Jackson
