1 Kings 11:4
As I read through the two books of Samuel and of Kings in the Old Testament, I see a familiar pattern emerging; one that I find woven into the fabric of my own life. For the nation of Israel, it is a pattern that begins with seeking God wholeheartedly, as in the reign of King David. Because of David's faithfulness and love for Him, God was pleased to pour out blessings and prosperity on the people. However, beginning even in David's reign it never seemed to fail that in prosperous times, the king or the people would turn away from God, disobeying Him and turning to idols or following after pleasure for pleasure's sake. Subsequently, He was moved to discipline them until they once again turned to Him, and the pattern was begun again.
When I look back on my own journey with the Lord, I can see times where I was walking in step with my Savior and enjoying His unmerited favor and blessing, full of peace because my mind was steadfast on Him. I also see where, each time I became comfortable in His grace, slowly and insidiously I have allowed that comfort to replace Christ on the throne of my heart, and I became a pursuer of pleasure rather than a pursuer of God, or worse, a worshipper of myself beginning to assert my rights to one thing or another. Without fail, the rising up of my pride has brought chastisement until I am compelled to acknowledge my sin and am humbled, falling once more meekly in step behind Him.
As I looked over this repeating design, a question formed itself: What if I allowed my comfort in His grace to produce in me a deeper, richer praise rather than disobedience? What if I could receive my Father's blessings joyfully and only love Him more because of it? I think that this mortal life would be much sweeter if I could always remember not to let it be the blessing I love, but the fact that it is my Father's blessing and take delight in it only because I delight so completely in my Father.
This is my hope for the years to come; that I will keep my mind steadfast on Him in both trial and in triumph. My I no more allow myself to be dragged away into captivity because of the distraction of some earthly treat but remain pure in my devotion to the Lord and keep my feet firmly planted in the Promised Land. For you see, in my time of reflection, I have found that it is the awareness of His presence and fellowship with Him alone that is the real treasure. He is the only unshakable, immovable, and unchanging force in my life--all else, whether hardship and loss or luxury and ease, is subject to change in the space of a heartbeat. God alone is infallible and sure. Thus, when it is His pleasure to grant me a boon, how foolish and ungrateful of me it is to shift my affection to the gift rather than increasing my love for the Giver. Knowing that my Promised Land along with all of its fruit is simply the place wherein He abides, how can I allow my aspiration to fall upon anything lower than the very Gift of God, the Son Himself?
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
. . . For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 4:9, 5:1
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