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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?