Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Title: Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later / Topic: God's Justice

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 26; Leviticus 27; Acts 23


Scripture: Leviticus 26:40-43

40 "But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers—their treachery against me and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. 43 For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees."


Observation: Moses is concluding his instructions to Israel and here the Lord is speaking to the people through him. God is urging the people to follow Him and listing the blessings of obedience. But also,

God warns the people against disobedience and lists the severe consequences of rejecting Him. This passage, near the end of Moses' comments, is a part of the summary and in it God gives a way back to Him even after a season of rebellion. What I notice here is that God tells the people that even if they don't observe the sabbaths that God has proscribed, they will be observed through judgment. God will see to it.


Application: So I can obey and do what God is requiring, or I can disobey and not do it, but either way, it will get done. For if I don't do it, God will get it done another way, usually to my pain and loss. God says, "You can pay me now, or pay me later, but either way, I will get paid!"


Prayer: Lord, I choose to pay You now. Help me to remember this choice always, especially in times of temptation and doubt. I choose You as my Lord and not myself.

This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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