Our world runs by a predictable set of natural laws in regard to gravity, energy, matter, even sowing and reaping. The world of science pivots on "if..then" statements and principles.
In our own lives, we count on positive "if..then's" to come true and beg negative ones to go away. At least I do. I think I should be able to eat whatever I want whenever I want without consequences. I want to binge on Netflix and have a clean house, folded laundry and a beautiful meal at the end of the day. Sometimes I just want a nap--but I don't want it to interfere with the rest of my life.
This morning as I read Exodus 22-24, I was struck by the "if...then" statements. "If a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard." (Ex. 22:5). There are a lot of examples--and restitution is expected when a person is at fault for another's loss. It's common sense. It's right. It's God's way.
But a passage in the next chapter made me stop and think about how we deal with sin in our own lives. Not just the "oopsies" of life--sins that catch us off guard and happen sporadically--but deep, settled, entrenched sin that is firmly established. There is a connection between the Old and New Testaments and in this case I am going to draw a parallel between the Canaanites (people who lived in the Promised Land before Israel's occupation) and sin.
In Exodus 23:29, God said, "I will not drive them [Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites] out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you."
Often, I want the sin gone. Now. All of it. I want freedom. I want the spiritual fight to be over. I just. want. relief. But God says that's not best. He knows the outcome of "all at once." If we receive total freedom from an entrenched enemy, we will not be able to maintain and establish it for good. The land will go to waste and the beasts of the field will multiply before we're ready. We need to move as He allows, thankful for the success God provides over time.
Exodus 23:30 continues, "I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land." God's desire that we would bear fruit (see John 15:2,4,5,8). He's not concerned with relief, effort, or ease. He is making Himself known through our stewardship. How am I stewarding the most recent area of life He's given? Until I am faithful with the new work He's doing in my life, He will not add more.
Here's another principle of overtaking sin: God delivers us, He will provide the boundaries, but we must do the work.
Exodus 23:31 says, "I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you." Ridding ourselves of sin is not effortless. It's not magical mumbo-jumbo. It requires step by step, one foot after the other taking ground. We must stop to fight, collect our whits, and press into the fray. It will take days, weeks, months. We will experience spiritual thirst, need, hunger, dust up our nose and in our eyes, fatigue, and temporary setbacks, but God gives deliverance. It's His will for us to overcome sin through Jesus' death and resurrection. It's God's way of making us more and more like His precious Son, Jesus (Romans 8:28-29).
As we fight and press forward, we cannot give in to treaties with the enemy: " You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods." (Exodus 23:32). Statements like, "Just this once," "No one will know," "I deserve...." have no place in overtaking sinful habits. We cannot move forward spiritually and maintain friendship with the enemy. It's all or nothing.
God completes this portion with these words, " They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”" (Exodus 23:33). In other words, it's Nada. Zilch. Outta here. Gotta go. No trinkets, reminders, or souvenirs of our sin. Making provision for the flesh, for that sin we love, will continue to needle us, make it's way into our thoughts and keep us from serving God wholeheartedly.
In other words, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8)
What are you fighting today? Don't give up. Don't lose hope. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
PS--If your struggle is too big, or too hard, or too great, that's because God doesn't expect you to do it on your own. He's giving you an opportunity to humble yourself, cry out to Him, ask for help, and include others. God to Jesus--"for apart from Me you can do nothing." Take Him up on His offer. He's good for it.
In our own lives, we count on positive "if..then's" to come true and beg negative ones to go away. At least I do. I think I should be able to eat whatever I want whenever I want without consequences. I want to binge on Netflix and have a clean house, folded laundry and a beautiful meal at the end of the day. Sometimes I just want a nap--but I don't want it to interfere with the rest of my life.
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This morning as I read Exodus 22-24, I was struck by the "if...then" statements. "If a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard." (Ex. 22:5). There are a lot of examples--and restitution is expected when a person is at fault for another's loss. It's common sense. It's right. It's God's way.
But a passage in the next chapter made me stop and think about how we deal with sin in our own lives. Not just the "oopsies" of life--sins that catch us off guard and happen sporadically--but deep, settled, entrenched sin that is firmly established. There is a connection between the Old and New Testaments and in this case I am going to draw a parallel between the Canaanites (people who lived in the Promised Land before Israel's occupation) and sin.
In Exodus 23:29, God said, "I will not drive them [Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites] out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you."
Often, I want the sin gone. Now. All of it. I want freedom. I want the spiritual fight to be over. I just. want. relief. But God says that's not best. He knows the outcome of "all at once." If we receive total freedom from an entrenched enemy, we will not be able to maintain and establish it for good. The land will go to waste and the beasts of the field will multiply before we're ready. We need to move as He allows, thankful for the success God provides over time.
Exodus 23:30 continues, "I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land." God's desire that we would bear fruit (see John 15:2,4,5,8). He's not concerned with relief, effort, or ease. He is making Himself known through our stewardship. How am I stewarding the most recent area of life He's given? Until I am faithful with the new work He's doing in my life, He will not add more.
Here's another principle of overtaking sin: God delivers us, He will provide the boundaries, but we must do the work.
Exodus 23:31 says, "I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you." Ridding ourselves of sin is not effortless. It's not magical mumbo-jumbo. It requires step by step, one foot after the other taking ground. We must stop to fight, collect our whits, and press into the fray. It will take days, weeks, months. We will experience spiritual thirst, need, hunger, dust up our nose and in our eyes, fatigue, and temporary setbacks, but God gives deliverance. It's His will for us to overcome sin through Jesus' death and resurrection. It's God's way of making us more and more like His precious Son, Jesus (Romans 8:28-29).
As we fight and press forward, we cannot give in to treaties with the enemy: " You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods." (Exodus 23:32). Statements like, "Just this once," "No one will know," "I deserve...." have no place in overtaking sinful habits. We cannot move forward spiritually and maintain friendship with the enemy. It's all or nothing.
God completes this portion with these words, " They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”" (Exodus 23:33). In other words, it's Nada. Zilch. Outta here. Gotta go. No trinkets, reminders, or souvenirs of our sin. Making provision for the flesh, for that sin we love, will continue to needle us, make it's way into our thoughts and keep us from serving God wholeheartedly.
In other words, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8)
What are you fighting today? Don't give up. Don't lose hope. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
PS--If your struggle is too big, or too hard, or too great, that's because God doesn't expect you to do it on your own. He's giving you an opportunity to humble yourself, cry out to Him, ask for help, and include others. God to Jesus--"for apart from Me you can do nothing." Take Him up on His offer. He's good for it.
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