February 9 Nothing but the Finest for God

Numbers 18:29 You must present the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you..

Smith says, "If we look closely enough, we can see that what God commands by way of moral law, or doctrine, or worship ritual usually has some purpose other than his being simply arbitrary or capricious."

As I read this it came to me again how much it all boils down to the battle between the flesh and God, the evil one and God. I think of a conversation I had with a student last semester about chapel. He said that he loved chapel and the idea of going to chapel, but since we required it, he didn't want to go. How bizarre is that? How human is that?

God loves us and has only good in mind for us; he can't be other than that because it violates his holy character. But we, mere humans confined in space and time, believe we know better. We think God makes mistakes when he asks something of us. In reality, he sees far ahead of us and knows exactly what we need, what is best for us in the long term.  His commands and requests of us only serve to move us on to peace and joy - his desire for us.

And this subject takes me back to the passage in Matthew where Christ says the first and most important thing is to love God, and the second is to love our neighbor. It really does boil down to that kind of simplicity; everything God asks of us is either an opportunity to love him or love another.

So, he asks us to love one another . Generally loving others results in at least some of them loving us back. It results in relationships with some who will support us and encourage us. Loving others affords us an opportunity to exercise our giftedness, and generally that results in a sense of satisfaction that we have value to others, affirming purpose in our life.

God asks us to study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed - what a recipe for peace and joy and hope.  When we consider or study how to live in a way that wins his approval, and then live in that way, we will live a life full of peace and without regret.

So, back to the verse, when we sacrifice (and it is no sacrifice to give up the pleasures of the world which lead us eventually to personal destruction) anything to obey God, to love him back, to give him our best - whether it is time or effort or possessions, we will always come out the blessed one.