OBEDIENCE OR SACRIFICE

Obedience or sacrifice. Which is it you prefer? Your son leaves school and takes a job – a waiter at the Spur. His interest was in medicine. So what will he do now?       I think you aught to sacrifice his favourite holy cow.

It’s all in our priorities. The things we like the best. A bit like sleeping on the beach, or pass that science test. We don’t think it is difficult, if we are old and wise. But sonny boy will live a life, that’s fitting in his eyes. Perhaps it’s been his custom for almost umpteen years? He likes to ride upon a horse and rope a dozen steers. He thinks that school attendance is just for geeks and nerds, But if he isn’t qualified, his future’s for the birds. Perhaps she is a lady and doesn’t want to work. She thinks that she will marry some very wealthy jerk. And spend her short term future, bringing up her brats; While doing all her housework with children dogs and cats. Of course these possibilities are always very real. The children and their future is not a special deal. But when they leave the homestead and step out on their own, It’s then that they’ll remember what Mom and Dad have shown; The things that we are doing and the choices that we make. Is where we mould the pattern that we can seldom break. It’s here we should be asking for wisdom from on high, To make the right decisions that last until we die. We find that Christian service is very much the same. We understood quite quickly that life is not a game. The choice is there before us. Should we obey the Lord, Or should we follow our desires and perish by the sword? The one who is obedient will find he is fulfilled. And those who lean on sacrifice will find out who is killed. Saul was such a person. His future looked secure. And then he went and did a deed that he knew was impure. It really was a tragedy. His crown was stripped away. And for the balance of his life this king was led astray. He made a wrong decision. He was too proud to wait. And at that very moment, this king had sealed his fate. It didn’t seem too serious; The Lord would understand. But he had taken action that God had never planned. And though he was the monarch for almost 40 years, The crown had passed to David in spite of all his tears. Today it’s still a question of obedience to God. Your offering is useless. Beneath His feet it’s trod. But those who listen to Him and hasten to obey; The Lord will not desert them and they will always say, They chose to be obedient, although it seemed absurd. So He is now their Saviour and they tremble at His word. Jim Strickland -  Written 10th December 2011