Have you read the book of Exodus recently?
I’m in week eight or nine of reading the Bible through using Foundations 260, and if you think reading genealogy lists is difficult to focus on, try reading God’s instructions for the priestly garb and sacrifices.
Interestingly, this reading plan has you skip some chapters and passages, but it didn’t skip this part. I couldn’t help but wonder why? I mean, sure, it’s interesting to think about everything being covered in gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, cloth of fine linen, and set with stones of various types – down to which row which stone goes on, and which son of Israel it stands for.
But what does that have to do with US? Today? I was begrudgingly reading it, but I didn’t really know why I should. Christians in the 21st century do not abide by this, after all.
I’m writing this on Friday, but on Thursday I heard my pastor mention what his sermon was going to be about on Sunday.
Effort.
It got me thinking.
What kind of effort do we put into serving and worshiping God? For the Israelites, it was faith, craftsmanship, the wealth they had plundered from Egypt, their time, and their obedience.
We seem to think that because we are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, that we are only required to do the things we can do easily, and without EFFORT.
But do you know what had happened just prior to the Pharaoh sending them packing out of Egypt? God had taken the firstborn of every family and animal except for the Israelites. A blood sacrifice – the sacrifice of animals AND the nation of Egypt – was made so that they would be spared.
Not only sacrifice was made, but much EFFORT put forth. The Israelites had to prepare the sacrifice, cook the meat, make the unleavened bread, and be ready to travel. This they did with faith that Moses was indeed speaking for God. They were instructed to ask their Egyptian friends for gold, silver, and cloth, and for some reason, the Egyptians did as asked. I’m sure there was some grumbling along the way, but they did it anyway.
Don’t we all grumble from time to time? Even when doing something we KNOW is God’s call? That’s when it becomes an EFFORT.
I’m a musician. It’s not difficult for me to play the keyboard and sing, and I love to put forth the effort to practice. In fact, if I didn’t do it for God, I’d be doing it for fun.
Writing is fun (sometimes), and when I’m in “the zone,” I can feel God writing through me, but it does take effort.
Don’t get me wrong. I think God wants us to take pleasure in what we do for Him, but I think He also wants us to think outside our comfort zone and take joy in the effort.
For me, it’s talking to people I don’t know. The standing joke is that I love playing an instrument so I don’t have to participate in “fellowship” time in our Sunday services! I love to sing, but prefer to sing duets or with the choir backing me up. Parties and Potlucks are hard for me. It takes effort.
At the beginning of the year, I chose “peace” as my word of the year. Hmmm . . . I’m thinking it would have been wiser for me to choose today’s word.
EFFORT.
Thank you, Jesus, for giving us abilities and strengths, along with a desire to please you and worship you. You can make what is difficult . . . effortless.
This section is also about giving our best to God and using it for His worship. I think of all the times we give our castoffs. We give our old clothes to the clothes closet at church, we give the almost expired food to our food pantry. When God calls us to give our BEST our FIRSTFRUITS. Sometimes the effort is in the thinking of what God can do with the things in our lives and who He could bless if we give a cheerful sacrifice.
Yes!! Our pastor brought that out in his message!
It’s not easy to get out of our comfort zones. I’m a one-on-one person, but if you make me stand in front of a group to sing or speak, you will have to prop me up on steroids and stuff me with enough Valerian Root to send me into La-la land.
I’ve heard that this may be Satan recognizing an unearthed gift in us, and doing his best to tamp it down, to keep us from using it to influence or sway others toward emotional healing and/or a closer walk with the Lord.
Great post, Regina, Plenty of food for thought. I’m still chewing.
Laurean, that’s a good point about Satan recognizing an unearthed gift and trying to tamp it down. It makes you wonder about those times we’ve said an unqualified “no” to something, when it may have been just the thing through which God wanted to bless us or others. Thanks!