Trust and obey

I've had the pleasure recently to be studying and teaching my high school girls class the stories of Genesis. What a rich and wonderful time it's been! Scripture has the danger of becoming dull when we become too familiar with the text and glance over it, but when the Holy Spirit fans it into flame in our hearts, how warm and satisfying the glow. I'm blown away by how much is found in just the first four chapters of Genesis. Take a look for yourself and then ask these questions: What does this teach me about God? What does this teach me about man? What does this teach me about sin? How does this apply to me? The rest of the Bible builds and develops the teachings found here. It's all right there in the beginning.

And one of the big things I've been thinking about is the issue of trusting and obeying. God desired that man would trust Him and obey Him. It didn't matter if it made sense or not. God said to eat of all the trees in the garden, but not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We didn't have to know more than that. He asked us to trust and obey.

That same theme keeps popping up in Genesis. Noah is asked to build an ark because God's going to cause it to rain and rain and rain. Doesn't matter that it's not raining now, that it never has rained before, and that Noah doesn't know what rain is. God said to do it. Trust and obey.

Abraham is told to leave his country and go to the country God would give him. Doesn't matter that he doesn't know where this final destination is when he packs up the tents and loads up the camels. God said to do it. Trust and obey.

Abraham is told that God will make him into a great nation and that all the peoples on the earth will be blessed. Doesn't matter that Abraham isn't a spring chicken and he doesn't have an heir. God said it would happen. Trust and obey.

So, what does this mean in your life? What has God told you or not told you that you need to trust and obey Him on? For me, it's that waiting thing from a few posts back. When the answers, "No, not yet." I need to trust and obey. I need to trust His timing. I need to trust His plan. I need to trust that a no IS the best He has planned for me. I need to obey and use the strength of His truth to quiet the doubts and buzz of voices that say it's because I'm not good enough. I need to thank Him for what I do have, not focus on what I don't.

Funny, but also kind of sad, how life for us is still very much dealing with the same issues from in the beginning. May you trust and obey, my friends.

Winter Crud and Spring Cleaning

For those of you who live in the north, you know what March means. Here in Maine we're usually still experiencing snow cover, but it's tired and dreary, the bland white of a pair of sneakers that's seen many miles. This year the snow is losing the fight early, but the crud of winter is still here. The lawn is brown and blah, the trees are bare and dreary, and everywhere there is the remnant of grit. It really gets to me.

Seems like my spiritual life can have the same feel, if I allow it. I can feel blah and bleak. I can feel crummy and dirty. I've been challenged to allow God to do some Spring Cleaning in my soul. I want Him to open up the windows and doors of my heart and let His fresh Spirit stir me anew. I want Him to wash away the layers of crud that build up by being insensitive and selfish. I desire Him to sweep up the debris from brokenness and hardness.

He's doing that. As I spend time in His Word, pray, and rub shoulders with God's people He's at work. There's hope in this spring cleaning and newness of life. I hope you will allow Him to do some seasonal work on your soul as well.