3 “‘If you follow My decrees and are careful to obey My commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. (Provision) 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land. (Strength) 6 “‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. (Peace) I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. (Safety) 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. (Victory) 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. (Companionship) 9 “‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. (Blessings) 10 You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. (Enough) 11 I will put My dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. (Love) 12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people. (Omnipresence)” Leviticus 26:3-12
Can you begin to imagine what your life would be like if God walked among us in a visible, physical, humanity inspired body? Of course; it would limit Him tremendously as there could be no omnipresence but His omnipotence and omniscience could remain. None of His neighbors would fear home invasion or natural disaster, right? We would expect sunny skies and fertile ground as all things should be perfect in His corner of the world. But, I wonder … would the world be a better place or would sinners still sin; would murderers still murder; abusers still abuse?
I tend to believe that nothing would really change; even for those who lived next door to God. Why; you ask? It has been many thousands of years since God declared satan the prince of the earth yet the Lord never relinquished being the King; He never rescinded His overriding abilities. Those who love Him continue to preach the good news to others. Just a few days ago, 95 year old Billy Graham released, what is probably his final message, a recorded message telling the world that the answer to EVERY problem is the cross! Did the world head his cry? Has hatred diminished or selfishness reversed itself into love? We Christians still depend on God for our values, morals, and example of brotherly love; our commands have not changed … our directive to evangelism has not be withdrawn.
I don’t doubt revival; history repeatedly records the revival and repentance of nations. I believe it is possible but with humanism becoming more prevalent and sinful behavior becoming accepted, even glorified, the probability of our nation, as a whole, turning back to God seems improbable. So, where do we anchor our trust as the calendar turns to 2014? In the promises of God for His people. While I am very aware that the passage I will be examining over the next few days is FOR God’s chosen nation; however, with Jesus’ death for the forgiveness of OUR sin and OUR justification with God … I believe Christians can also embrace these promises. Yet, these promises do not come without a preface… “If you follow My decrees and are careful to obey My commands”… (attentive to potential danger, error, or harm; cautious; thorough and painstaking in action or execution; conscientious). I know I often take my Christianity for granted; do you?
Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart, does the Spirit control?
You can only be blessed
and have peace and sweet rest,
If you yield Him your body and soul.
Elisha A. Hoffman 1900
Unless noted, scripture is NIV ©1984 Int’l Bible Society
Hugs +/or ChIPS ©3/05 Eleanor J. Gale-Boone
A Sisters' Hugs 