BIBLE PASSAGE:
“He who scorns instruction will pay for it,
but he who respects a command is rewarded.”
(Proverbs 13:13)
MEDITATION:
Have you ever done something and later said to yourself,
“I wish I hadn’t done that!” or “I should have known better!”
Sometimes we get into a situation because we didn’t think of
the consequences beforehand. It may have seemed like a good
idea at the time, so we just did it without thinking ahead. It may
be something we did as a result of some sudden emotion (anger,
rebellion, humor, self-gratification, retaliation, etc.).
However, there are some things that we KNOW we shouldn’t do,
but we do them anyway. Why would we do that? Sometimes it’s
because we think that regardless of what we have been told, we
won’t have the same consequences as everyone else. We may do
it because we think we can get away with it, or we may want to
experience the thrill of doing something risky.
No matter how we try to justify what we do, we are going to have
to face the results of our actions. Reverend Dr. Lee had a sermon
that was given the title of, “Payday Someday”. The theme of his
message was:
No matter what we think we are getting away with,
and no matter how long we think we got away with it,
there will come a day when we have to pay for our actions.
None of us like to ‘face the music’ for our actions, but it’s a reality
that we have to accept. Proverbs tells us that when we ignore sound
advice, we will have to pay for our actions. Some may not receive any
punishment during their life on earth, but will pay for their actions
when they step into eternity.
With the continued evolution of science (which has discovered a way to
use DNA as evidence), the actions of some people are uncovered years
after they thought they had gotten away with some crime. They might
have felt confident (and comfortable) that they succeeded in avoiding
punishment, but then…. “Payday Someday” arrives.
The good news is, whenever the scriptures tell us what not to
do, they also tell us the benefits of following the instructions
we are given. When we read the scripture in today’s passage,
we see that God’s Word tells us we will be rewarded whenever
we respect (obey) the commands we are given.
The rewards we receive for following the instructions
in God’s Word, can come in many different ways.
– We could suddenly have peace of mind
about a particular situation.
– We may be given clarity about a decision
we have been wrestling with for some time.
– We may experience a physical healing of
some condition or disease we have been fighting.
– We might finally reconcile with someone.
– We might experience the joy of God calling us to use
the spiritual gift He gave us when we received salvation.
– God may answer our prayers for a friend or family member
(who has been the target of our prayers for a very long time).
– We might see our prayers answered for a wayward child.
– We might ‘feel’ the presence of the Holy Spirit during a time when
hopelessness was devastating us emotionally and maybe physically.
– We might receive unexpected
encouragement from a friend or love one.
– We might experience the joy of having the
opportunity to help or encourage someone else.
None of us can predict how we will be blessed, but we know that
when the scriptures tell us we will be rewarded, we can expect
good things to happen whenever we ‘respect’ God’s commands.
As believers, God has given us the availability of the Holy Spirit
to live within us and assist us in ‘respecting’ His commands. But,
we have the responsibility of inviting the Spirit into our lives and
creating an environment that will allow Him to produce His fruit
in us.
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those
who ask Him!
(Luke 11:15)
If we want to ‘respect’ God’s commands, we need to be grounded in
His Word. When we read the Bible and get a better understanding
of God’s instructions, we will be pleased to know that, He is the one
authority and compass we need to guide us in living our lives here on
earth before we step into eternity.
The Bible is the firm foundation that guides us; it is where
our hope is built. It is our staff of life that nourishes the
Spirit within us. It is the sword that cuts away evil from
our lives and transforms us into a likeness of Jesus Christ.
ACTION:
We have all been given the same choice to make:
We can ignore sound advice and “pay up”, or
we can obey His commands and “be rewarded”
Wouldn’t you agree that it’s comforting to know that in a world
of chaos, we have a reliable source for instructions, guidance,
and hope? We should be asking ourselves these questions:
How much time do I spend reading God’s Word?
Do I read it to see how much I can read, or do I spend
time soaking up its words and trying to fully understand
the things God is saying directly to me?
If you have trouble slowing down and meditating on His words,
try reading the same verse several times with an emphasis on a
different word each time you read it.
For instance – The Lord is my Shepherd.
THE Lord is my shepherd.
The LORD is my shepherd.
The Lord IS my shepherd.
The Lord is MY shepherd.
The Lord is my SHEPHERD.
Did you notice how much it changed the meaning
when your focus was on a different word?
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word – the Bible.
Thank for the gift of the Holy Spirit You included when
I received Your salvation. Forgive me for not creating an
environment where the Spirit can flourish in my life. You
know my weaknesses and I pray that You will strengthen
me in those areas. There must be countless rewards that I
am missing out on because I have not been respecting the
commands You have given me. I know that anything from
You is much more than a reward, it is a blessing for me to
enjoy. I want to experience the rewards I have been missing,
so I pray that You will help me to heed the advice from Your
Word, and seek to please You above pleasing myself.”
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