Good Disobedience?

One thought for us tonight, taken right from my notes from preaching this morning at The Chapel...

Some people try to hide from God by doing works. They don't need to be intimate as long as they do good things for Him. They think they can exchange disobedience with good works.

This thought stemmed from the fact that I believe some people can actually be running from God by doing good works for Him. They think they can reason with God - "if you don't touch this area of my life, if I can stay in control here, I will do ______ in exchange."

They think they can dictate to Him what God can and cannot talk to them about. They know in their heart what is right, but they don't want to let the Holy Spirit in to that part of their life. So they think they can compromise with God. "You don't talk to me about this, and I will serve you in that."

Unfortunately, or fortunately, God may not want that, He wants all of us.

Intimate

I read this morning from the book of Revelation, specifically the letter to the church in Ephesus in chapter 2. To each church Jesus introduces Himself in a particular way, and to this church, he states,

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.'"

Jesus goes on to tell this church that they had left their first love. They were busy working for Him, but had fallen out of love with Him - something we all can do.

The way Jesus introduced Himself seemed to be specific to this church as He knew their spiritual condition. Knowing they had fallen out of love with Him, He introduces Himself in a way that speaks of intimacy.

He speaks of holding the stars (angels - or messengers - as he states in the previous chapter) in his right hand. What a phenomenal and intimate thing to be held in the hand of God! He then says that he walks among the seven churches (lampstands). Again, another picture of intimacy. He walks among the churches. He is well familiar with our ways, our heart, our struggles, our passions, our shortcomings, our victories... Even the very number of the hairs on our head are known to Him.

He is well acquainted and intimate with us.

My encouragement today would be for us to respond to his invitation to intimacy with Himself, the God of the Universe. That we wouldn't distance ourselves from God with worldly distractions and sin, but that we would lay down all other loves, casting down our idols, to be most intimate with the Most High.