Are you as blind as Israel? Do you fail to see God or hear his voice? I think we can all be guilty. We can find just about any excuse. We can see but not always understand. It may even take years before we look back at our life and think, “that was definitely the hand of God at work in my life.”
Maybe this has happened to you. We know something is wrong, yet we do it any way. “You see and recognize what is right but refuse to act on it. You hear with your ears, but you don’t really listen.” This disobedience didn’t start with us. Whether that makes us “feel better” or just confirms the fallen nature of being human, it’s real.
What should we do about it? They say that having awareness is the first step of making healthy changes. Whether that’s an addiction or another unwanted behavior, once we can recognize it, we can change it. The operative word here is “can.” We don’t always opt for change, even if it is for the better. Why is that?
Why do we stay in our comfort zones? Because our brains are wired to keep us safe. That’s not a new phenomenon. Some would say, “I don’t like confrontation,” while others are just plan resistant to change. Our comfort zones can be just that, comfortable. Yet, when God is calling us to do something, we should take notice and act accordingly. We can learn a lesson from the Israelites to be sure.
How did God respond to his disobedient children? We’ve seen how they refused to listen to God and relied on other gods. They trusted their own power and not the power of God. How did he respond to them? Isaiah says, “Therefore, he poured out his fury on them and destroyed them in battle.” God wasn’t just disappointed in them. He was furious. That same fury results in their destruction.
Do we feel that because Jesus came to “save us from our sin” we have a special protection? Is that why we have those disobedient moments? It’s true God did send his Son to redeem the world. I don’t believe that means he has given us free reign to act in ways contrary to his word. If we are truly “all in” for God, as he desires, we wouldn’t intentionally want to be disobedient.
It’s not to say we won’t sin. We will. We should also be mindful of our sinful tendencies and do our best to set the bar high for ourselves. God won’t love us any less for misbehaving, but we shouldn’t take that love for granted. I, for one, want to please God with my actions.
Interesting that blindness to the grace of God continued in the New Testament. Think of the religious leaders who were in the very presence of God yet did not recognize Jesus for who he was. Clearly, the Israelites were also blind and deaf. Isn’t it time we all learned the lesson God taught his people over and over. The lesson is simple, as in Deuteronomy 6:5, “And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.”
Let’s pray … Lord, you alone are worthy of my praise. Forgive me for times when I am distracted and focused on other things. You are always steadfast and true. May all I do and say be pleasing to you. Work through me and use me to bring your lost ones back to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
