God provides

A Chronology of Obedience

~ Heather Davis ~ 9 Comments

Reading through the Bible chronologically in a year or so lends a different perspective than taking deep dives into a specific book or passage. This is the – oh, I’d say maybe sixth time I’ve followed a chronological one-year plan, and each time the Lord has given me a few new pearls to string together. This year, I’ve been noting the chronology of obedience reiterated through the pages of the Text.

One of the big themes I saw repeated throughout Genesis and Exodus is that quite often, obedience to God precedes the miracle, sign, or blessing from God.

Take a look at these by-no-means comprehensive examples:

The Call of Noah | Genesis 6:9-9:22

Make yourself an ark of gopher wood … For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven… But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you…

Genesis 6:14-18

Noah had to build the ark before the flood ever happened – in part because a large seaworthy vessel does little good if one begins construction during a catastrophic weather event. He and his family were not saved from the general destruction until after they obeyed what doubtless seemed to be a rather bizarre set of instructions.

The Call of Abram | Genesis 12

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing…

Genesis 12:1-2

Note that God did not provide Abram with a roadmap complete with a large red X marking the destination, but instead directed him to “the land that I will show you.” Imagine having that conversation with your wife! As a wife myself, I can state for the record that I might slightly doubt my husband’s sanity if he told me we were moving but we wouldn’t know where until we got there.

And the promised sign? God would make a great nation of him and make his name great. Becoming a “great nation” is not an event that tends to happen in one’s own lifetime, as it would take generations for one person’s progeny to number enough to be considered a nation. We can see clearly that Abram’s belief was not about personal gain but was instead God-focused.

There’s a lesson in this I’m taking to heart.

The Offering of Isaac | Genesis 22

He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 

Genesis 22:12-13

Again, God didn’t provide the animal for the sacrifice until Abraham’s arm was poised to strike. Sometimes God’s provision comes in the very nick of time, even when our obedience seems to be more costly than we feel we are able to pay. Yet in reality, God Himself always shoulders the true burden.

This moment in history, like the others, deserves a deep dive of its own – far to much to cover in this overview. But can I at least comment that it wasn’t unusual for pagan gods to require child sacrifice? God’s dramatic display here showed that He would be the one to provide the sacrifice, foreshadowing the ultimate provision of His own Son of the promise for the greatest and most complete sacrifice humanity will ever know.

But back to our main point – Abraham’s obedience came before God’s miraculous provision. We stand at a point in history where the miraculous provision has already happened. So, why do we yet hesitate to obey? Food for thought.

The Whole Life of Joseph | Genesis 37, 39-46

Ok, that’s a lot to take in, so let’s narrow it down to Joseph’s trial with Potiphar’s wife, shall we?

“He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

Genesis 39:9-10

Here’s a case where the obedience to God actually brings the poor man into a greater amount of trouble. Because of his obedience to God and his refusal to be seduced by a powerful woman, Joseph spends time in jail.

Let me rephrase that: he spends time in jail for doing the right thing.

Obedience to God often comes at a great personal cost. This is reiterated in many ways through the Book, but this is a powerful example. Yet God did use all these circumstances to ultimately position Joseph in a place where he could save his family from starvation. He also had to forgive them for selling him as a slave – a fact that may shock us in today’s “trauma-sensitive” environment.

So in Ol’ Joe’s life, we see that obedience leads from the frying pan to the fire and then into the coals themselves before God’s miraculous delivery is brought about.

Never forget, at our historical moment, the most miraculous has already been done. Yet we still have miles or months of obedience ahead before we get to see the total fulfillment in our eternal reward!

Dang, I didn’t even get out of Genesis, and there are tons of others: Moses and his call to deliver the people from Pharoah – another painstaking and unpopular process. Joshua and the silent “battle” of Jericho. The list goes on and on.

This time through the Word, I’m relishing the overview and remembering that my obedience may not pay out in earthly comfort, convenience, or reward. But in the long run, my choosing again and again to trust God will be worthwhile.

Friend, so will yours. Chronologically speaking, obedience is the only safe bet.

He Who Feeds the Birds Feeds Me

~ Heather Davis ~ 12 Comments

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Matthew 6:25

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. Unsaved friends and family members. Uncertainty whether one of my part-time jobs is making the best use of time (see Ephesians 5:15-16). Frustration this former gym-rat can’t even do three reps of 10-pound weights for a week without causing a crash. Concern for friends and loved ones who are sick or in pain.

A crazed world addicted to entertainment, sex, fury, and power as its residents seem to operate in a bizarre digital fugue.

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Matthew 6:27

To be honest, there’s not much I can do about any of it, so I take the names and the questions to the throne of grace and lay them at the feet of the One who controls the wind and the waves. He knows what to do. I only need to wait and trust Him.

And maybe ask for His help to bolster my fragile trust when it cracks under pressure.

One way I do this is by unplugging; by spending time outside in the world He created and ruminating on His Word, His goodness, and by no means least, His creativity and care for the world He created.

And as I engaged in this exercise last week, I had the pleasure of discovering not one, but two edible plants growing right in my own yard. The research was fun, the tasting more so, and the whole experience reminded me that the God who feeds the birds and clothes the grass of the fields in splendor will take care of His children, too.

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

Matthew 6:31

Although we’ve had the kousa dogwood for years, I’ve somehow overlooked its odd-shaped fruit. Perhaps the time yours truly once threw a vehicle into reverse instead of park and only realized ther error after said vehicle continued to move and drag our hapless heroine into the branches of the little tree at the beginning of the dogwood’s maturity may have something to do with it. But who can say?

Either way, this year I did notice, took my pics (not my best work, I admit), and did my research.

After harvesting the fruit, I cut a couple open and found the inside to be very sweet, if a little grainy. Unfortunately, I believe the deer discovered the edible nature of the berries before I did, so my harvest was light this year. Next year, I’ll be watching.

I stumbled upon my next foraging adventure while investigating the fence line recently exposed by our neighbor’s newly-declared war on a ravenous wisteria vine. Small, blackish berries caught my eye and I bent down to find the unripe versions resembled miniature watermelons.

Captivated by these beauties, I took a few shots. Then I took a few more due to my own irritation at my failed Kousa pics combined with furry bestie’s helpful schnoz keeping the fruit from stillness. After banishing the beastie to the indoors, I finally managed some less blurry and less furry shots of the fruit, though the breeze and the tremor of my hands were such that the tiny flower eluded me.

  • What?

The plant turned out to be black nightshade, an edible wild relative of tomatoes and bell peppers. I harvested a few of the ripe berries and was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of a sweet midget tomato. I’m watching for the next batch to ripen and hope to grace my next salad with a handful.

All the exploration served to remind me that my God is truly good. Even if the world completes its journey to hell in a handbasket, just as the Book says it certainly will, my Father will continue to care for His creatures and His children. There is no hell in His presence, and by happy coincidence, that is precisely where I desire to dwell.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:33-34

Oh me of little faith…