God vs. Rita
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and He will act. Psalm 37:5
I recently took a Sunday School class called “Bedrock Economics.” One of the lessons was on value and that we (humans) impute value to things. If, in my subjective opinion, something doesn’t have any value then it’s not valuable. The teacher made the point that the only thing that has intrinsic value (value in and of itself) is God. Whether or not a person imputes value to God – He has value because He is God.
Another thing that has stuck with me is an example about a meter maid the teacher used in a lesson on incentives. We don’t park in no parking zones because we have faith that the meter maid will come and do her job and we will have a fine to pay (a disincentive). We read God’s word and know what it says but we don’t act as if we have faith that God will follow through.
God – like man – imposes both incentives and disincentives. He promises blessings for us when we follow His design for living and He also promises discipline when we go astray and follow our own plans.
I was thinking about this today as I have been hearing about and involved in a couple of really difficult situations this week. Circumstances where I really need to be able to trust God more than I trust Rita, the meter maid. Unlike the meter maid God’s rewards and disciplines aren’t always immediate. I have to stay in the battle long enough to see His plan and understand His purposes. I know if I park in the wrong place my consequences will be there as soon as I return to the car. God may want me to trust Him enough to wait for the incentive.
God has trained me and taught me over and over again that He is always at work – even when He seems absent to me it is no indication that He’s not there. His ways are higher than my ways and though it looks grim to me He always works things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
I am an emotional being, occasionally I’m even an emotional wreck! If I get physically hurt I want to fight back. If I get emotionally hurt I wan to run and guard myself from the next assault because I don’t know how to protect myself. There is no spiritual strength in running. In Ephesians 6 where Paul teaches about the armor of God there is no protection for our backs. The full armor of God protects us when we face our problem head on – face first. Satan will be able to attack me if I turn and run but God will protect me if I stand firm.
Life is full of battles. Battles scare me and most of the people I know. We either hate the fight or we hate the level of discomfort the fight brings. God is undaunted by conflict of any kind. In fact, if we face it with Him, He will bring good from it!
Ultimately, God’s greatest incentive awaits us in heaven. Our eternal life in salvation through Jesus starts now but the greater joy will be with Him in glory. The Biblical descriptions of hell are a real disincentive – I truly would not want my worst enemy to have to endure hell. (See Heaven and Hell posted 2/1/10).
So, we can learn from the meter maids that though they are trustworthy in giving out their disincentives, we must place greater trust in the plans and purposes – the rewards and discipline – of the Lord God Almighty who keeps every one of His promises.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3