I love to watch movies where good versus evil and like most viewers I'm rooting for good to triumph. But every now and then the writers add a twist. You spend the entire film cheering on the goodie only to find at the last minute there was information you didn't know which changes everything, and you'd been on the wrong side all along! Throughout history there are those who were once considered rebels, that we now see as heroes. Rosa Parks, Martin Luther and... Jesus!
The pharisees in the time of Jesus were strict observers of not only the written Law but also the many traditional oral laws passed down through the generations. They were determined to keep themselves set apart for God. That's a good thing right? Jesus on the other worked on the Sabbath (healing people) and allowed His disciples to also (picking and eating wheat) He spent time with tax collectors and prostitutes and taught women. These were not the actions of someone keeping the status quo. To add insult to injury Jesus called the religious leaders hypocrites, accusing THEM of rebelling against God.
Rebellion and rule keeping are in opposition of each other and yet it isn't always obvious which is the right choice. As a child, I considered myself a "good girl." I followed the rules! It wasn't difficult. My parents were loving, kind and sensible. I believed rules were there to keep us safe and adults put them in place for that reason. Rules made me feel safe and secure and to an extent, still do.
But its easy to become so concerned with doing what's seen as right, keeping up appearances or even maintaining peace, that we forget to look up and seek God's voice. God's ways don't make sense. In Isaiah 55:8-9 it says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
So trying to live to please God by following rules, keeping traditions, making formulas od trusting in common sense and earthly wisdom is going to lead to us rebelling against God, even though we are wanting to be set apart just as the Pharisees did.
While we have leaders in our life who should be honoured, we are all responsible for the individual choices we make. When I stand before God on judgment day, I don't want to hear "Wicked servant. You buried the talents I gave you." I'm pretty sure saying "It wasn't my fault! It was the fault of my church or family or culture" isn't going to be an acceptable excuse! It's my responsibility to steward everything that God has given me. My finances, time, thoughts, and spiritual growth. Yet I know at times I've blamed circumstances and situations for my apathy, as if God is unaware of the environment I live in.
We are about to enter a new season with God leading His Bride out of Her blind obedience and passive politeness. When we put pleasing the people around us above pleasing God we stop listening to God for ourselves and rely on others to tell us what to do. It's brings us either into a place of quiet laziness where church becomes a Sunday spectator sport, spiritual paralyzation, where we become so fearful of confrontation or failure that we stop growing, or we become frustrated and feel powerless, leading a life full of grumbling and complaining about what we "can't" do.
It is time to realign ourselves with the responsibility of hearing the voice of God for ourselves and expecting others to do the same, following the lead of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's heard a great preach and thought that someone else needs to hear it! There's nothing wrong with that of course, but it can become a hindrance when we no longer listen for ourselves, and lose the blessing of allowing our own spirit to be transformed.
We each have an individual race to run that has it's own challenges, while we're also running alongside others, cheering and championing them on. We need this companionship, wise counsel, good teaching and an understanding of scripture. Unity is important and helps keep us from slipping of the cliff edge if we wander to far left or right. But we need to check that we're not inadvertently rebelling against God while we do that, maybe saying yes to helping at the soup kitchen when we know that God is calling us to spend time in rest with Him (Mary and Martha) or serving on the pastoral team when God is pressing you to work outside of the four walls of the church (Acts 6) There are also times when God may want to address the rebel in you, and asks you to submit to Him by serving somewhere or someone you don't want to or aren't gifted in, to lay aside the calling He has placed on your life.
As we walk, let us keep our ears and eyes open waiting to hear voice of ABBA, our Good Father, with our Yes and Amen ready.
Psalm 25:4-9 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.
8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
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