FOR MY GOOD AND HIS GLORY? REALLY?

September 16, 2013

FOR MY GOOD AND HIS GLORY? REALLY?

Deuteronomy 6:16-25

Marcelo Unterbug

Central Truth

Obedience? Follow His ways, and they will be good for me? Tell others of how He changed my life? "For our good and His glory." Overused? Maybe. Packed with truth, no doubt.

You should diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you. You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may be well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which the LORD swore to give your fathers. (Deuteronomy 6:17-18)

16 You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers 19 by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has promised.

20 When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’

Keep commandments? RULES, RULES, RULES, you say. Me too; that's what I used to think. Coincidentally, when I wrote a Journey entry last year, it was on Ezekiel 20:11, which says, "I gave them My statutes and informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live." I chose to allow the Watermark staff to assign these verses to me rather than pick them myself. Hmmm, maybe God is trying to remind ME of something?

Have you ever noticed what God says are the results of what should be our loving response to His grace and mercy (i.e., following His commandments)? "[H]e (that's you and me) will live," and "it may go well with you" (that's us again). Just like children who disobey their parent's loving instruction that will keep them safe, we disobey God's instructions for our lives. Do we need to look very far in our society or our own lives to see the outcome of our disobedience?

Before I began walking with the Lord, my life was a mess. In a nutshell, I was a womanizing, lustful, addicted, broken, lying, heathen of a man, and never comfortable in my own skin. Today, I am a man who desires to live as a tender warrior (1 Corinthians 16:13-14), keeping men (and women) safe, servant, sober (10 years), redeemed, forgiven, and sold out for Christ. Oh, make no mistake about it, I am far from perfect, but I press on towards Christ (Philippians 3:14).

It was and continues to be the most beautiful lesson in life to learn that I do not follow God's ways because I have to earn His love or my salvation. It is a response to the love and salvation He has already provided in His Son. And His ways lead to life -- here and now, and eternally. His yoke is easy, His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Now, He wants me to tell other people about His grace (Deuteronomy 6:20-24). Yes, for my good and His glory!

1. What was your life like before following the Lord? After?

2. Does this mean you have a testimony?

3. Who are you going to tell about it?