Nougat 4

Have you ever watched the reality tv survival shows before? What would you do if you were to star in one? Consider today’s Holy Nougat

““And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭10:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God’s next request is Obedience. A pretty tall order in one sense. Obedience means that we not only listen to what God said, but to also follow through with action. And since it’s not a multiple choice exam, obedience isn’t optional. James tells us “… don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” ‭‭(James‬ ‭1:22‬) ‬‬, thus underscoring the importance God places on obedience.

Let’s visit the Wilderness, the site where the original recipients of this nougat were initially. At its root, a wilderness suggests untamed territory that may/not contain danger for the unadventurous individual. I suspect Africa safaris and maybe journeys through the Amazon may cross our minds initially. We might also think of animals roaming around freely, probably waiting for the right moment for pounce.

It also suggests unknown territory. That generally requires a Guide who is familiar with the territory and can get everyone to safety. One can see that obedience was essential to their surviving the wilderness, and since God was their Guide, it is only right that they obey God’s directions. Yet, despite the very visible signs offered by God to the Children of Israel – pillars of clod and fire – they wanted to do their own thing. In a land of poisonous snakes, hostile nations are serious desert conditions, none of which they’d had experience handling!

Unfortunately, we are a bit like that. Our times laud ‘independence’ as foundational to progressive and fulfilling lives. But the uncertainty of our times: wars, famine,, drought natural disasters, climate change, and human greed all serve to place us in our own wilderness. With all those and other dangers vying for pre-eminence in our lives; we each need a personal guide. One who understands the path and is capable of seeing us through to the Other Side where eternity lies; who will get us safely and ‘savedly’ there. Often we choose to do our own thing. That’s disobedience right there!

We are also falling short of God’s plans for us. Disobedience not only takes us off track and places us in danger in our modern wilderness ramblings; but it also denies us the chance to live our best lives. Can you imagine that? Yup; James 1:23-24 warns that hearing God’s will and choosing our own is like looking in a mirror and promptly forgetting what we ourselves look like! That’s not even living; that’s partially existing.

So we regroup.

And reconsider

And (hopefully), we choose Obedience. It may not be easy; but obeying God is always in our best interests, especially in the wilderness.

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May all we seek be found in Christ