Burden or Blessing
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Burden or Blessing
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3 (NKJV)
No idolatry, no taking the Lord’s Name in vain, remember the Sabbath, honor your parents, don’t murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet what your neighbor has.
These commandments cover all our lives when taken to their full intent. John says they are not a burden.
Without a proper view of God, these commands are burdensome. What human, without the power of the Holy Spirit, could not sometimes covet what their neighbor has? Who is capable of never dishonoring their parents and what man could say he would never commit adultery with pornography so available?
When we see the love that God has for His people behind these commands, we can see them as a source of blessing, not bondage.
God’s Blessing
Consider that God ordered the Israelites to circumcise their baby boys on the eighth day. This was a command, not up for discussion. The Israelites were not a perfect people. We read of some who were not circumcised when they should have been. What is sure is that the priests who were to perform it knew it was not to be before the eighth day. Why?
The Israelites presumably did not know why. Though we do not know the mind of God, we have learned that it takes seven days for Vitamin K to be produced in our bodies. It is a coagulant that keeps a little boy from bleeding to death. The command was for the good of the baby boy!
God is good in every instruction He gives us. If this foundational truth is not deeply held in our hearts, God’s commands will seem burdensome.
The Burden
We face a time when there seems to be more and more evil in our midst:
- the spilling of so much innocent blood through abortion
- the perversions that are being touted as healthy to our children in public schools
- the attacks on God’s plan for families
- the complete ignorance of God’s Word in our nation
Obedience
Christian, do we trust God with what is happening in our midst? If this is all part of His judgment because we have not listened as a nation nor stood up for Truth as His churches, will we do what he tells us and trust Him to resolve it?
When we obey God’s commands we show our love for Him and our faith to the world. Will we obey Him for the good of those we love, God’s glory, and to bring our nation to repentance?
This is only going to happen by changing hearts, one at a time, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Are we willing to tell our others about Jesus and disciple those in whom the Lord is at work?
A-Men Sister thanks for the message. Definitely a wake up call and pep talk for the body of Christ to step up and be who we are called to be in Jesus name! God Bless
Thanks Stephen. God bless you!
Beautifully said. You are right that it takes relationships and intentionality, person by person. I pray we can all do this and glorify God!
1 John 5:3 is an amazing verse. It’s easy to think of following God’s commends to be a real burden that just sucks all the fun out of life. But when we do follow them with the intent to honor Him, it really does turn into a huge blessing for us!
Very cool about the vitamin K – didn’t know that. There’s so much we don’t know that the Creator of the Universe does & that’s why we should trust Him!
Thank you for this timely word. His command to sexual purity, for example, seems burdensome to this single woman who’s in a dating relationship with a man I’m crazy about, yet I know it will lead to his best for both of us. He used you today!
Praise God! I love it when He lets me know my writing was helpful! Thank you!
I just love the fact that God does all things for our good and His glory! What a great reminder that in the midst of His commands that maybe we don’t even understand, He has our best in mind. Loved this!
Christina, I read that years ago and it was the best lesson for me in trusting God’s faithfulness. When I think of how much I have not understood in the moment but obedience surely brought blessings, it is overwhelming to see just how Great He truly is to His poeple!
Amen, Paul!
Jessica, One man I read likes to say that the world will be changed for Christ, not by revolution but by regeneration. I agree it is the only way.
Agreed Emily, His faithfulness is truly beyond our understanding but will always work for our good and His glory. Thanks for commenting.
Amen! May I become bolder to share Jesus when I have the opportunity!
Showing His love in all we say and do should be our everyday aim. He loves us. We can be blessed by blessing others.
And me, Julie!
Melissa, Obedience brings blessing. The key to your comment is “an all we say and do.” Thanks for posting.
I love this message. When we do things God’s way–and not wonder whether we know more–we are better off. Otherwise, we see judgment. It’s pretty simple. But we make it hard.
Thanks Nancy, It’s good for me to think along the lines of what I add makes it harder. The Lord (in His grace) has kept things simple enough for our sinful minds to grasp..and even obey when our thinking aligns with His rather than expecting His to align with ours!
PERFECT analogy using that situation to compare to our obedience. To trust that God’s way is best, even when it doesn’t make sense to us is pivotal to our faith. (And how amazing is God’s creation?!) 🙂
Thanks Susan! God’s creation is truly wondrous! Another teaching to pass on!
What a wonderful perspective, to look at it as a blessing instead of burden. Thank you.
Yes Stephanie, The biblical perspective is the best perspective, is it not?
What a thought-provoking post, Beth! The way we choose to love God—through obedience—will speak much more loudly to our culture than our words alone, won’t it? May we honor Him in our words and our actions.
This is a healthy way of approaching God’s commands, Beth. Love the info on a baby’s development. We seem to live in a why? culture, as if compliance or obliging often only happens when we offer an explanation. But then that’s not obedience or faith, is it. I will try to keep this in mind in my everyday interactions with people, and in my own relationship with God. Thanks.
Glad you found it helpful. I think that more faithfulness we see in our great God, the greater our faith grows. Thanks for commenting.
Yes, Jeanne, exactly. And, obedience brings blessing. Win, win! Thanks for commenting!