My biggest misconception as a new mother was that once I had survived two years with my firstborn, I had mastered year one and two with my newborn. Somehow I never imagined that each child would march to the beat of a different drummer. Looking back, I get a good laugh at my own naïveté but I was fully convinced that what worked with one would work with all.
Any veteran parent knows how foolish this sounds. What I was subconsciously wishing for was a parenting autopilot. I could justify the work of learning hard lessons if the payoff was I didn’t have to learn them again.
Every veteran Christian should find this laughable. Time and again as scripture brings conviction of sin, I find myself confessing the very same things to God, ashamed at having dredged up this old thing yet again. In his Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis gives voice to one of Satan’s emissaries charged with training a new generation of demons saying there’s no need for novelty, no sense in working too hard because “the same old tricks keep working.”
The devil hasn’t changed his tack in thousands of years. His purpose is still to deceive. He is the father of lies. His intention to kill, steal, and destroy is unchanged since he was cast down. Peter summed it up best when he wrote, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
The devil’s treachery is spelled out in Job but read any chapter of any book of the Bible and you’ll find evidence of his havoc wreaking. Why else would we need God’s armor or our lone weapon, the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God? We are not standing toe to toe with humanity. Our fight is with heavenly powers who will be ultimately defeated, but our battle is no less real.
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.
Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.
Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
Ephesians 6:10-18 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.6.11-18.NLT
When battling with His own humanity during His wilderness temptation, Jesus quoted scripture. The living, breathing Word of God used the Sword of the Spirit to defeat His tempter. When confronting his most ardent disciple, Peter, Jesus still called a spade a spade. Peter pulled Jesus aside saying, “God forbid anything (like the cross) should happen to you!”
“Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan!
You are a dangerous trap to me.
You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Matthew 16:23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.16.23.NLT
Since Jesus relied on God’s Word and God’s power to set a perfect example for us, why do we think we can shift into autopilot after Sunday’s sermon? How are my feeble prayers measuring up to Jesus’s midnight mountainside vigils? Who is my Source, my Strength, my Shield? Am I trusting God enough to represent Him well in this crooked and depraved generation?
“So humble yourselves before God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Come close to God, and God will come close to you.
Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”
James 4:7-8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.4.7-8.NLT
Not many were privileged as Moses was to speak face to face with the Lord as one speaks to a friend. (Exodus 33:11) From the moment God called Moses from the burning bush, He empowered Moses for the task ahead. Moses made excuses. God reminded Moses of His presence. Moses wasn’t perfect. He was called and God used him in mighty ways but the power was all God’s. And God still held Moses accountable.
Twice during the Exodus, Scripture records water gushing from rock. Both times, God gave water to the Israelites to satisfy their thirst despite their constant complaints. Both times God instructed Moses exactly what to do. The first time Moses obeyed exactly. The second time he either gave in to his own frustrations or his brain went on autopilot. Either way, God called it sin and it cost Moses the Promised Land.
Was his anger justified? Absolutely! Never once did the people ask God for water. They complained to Moses and against Moses night and day. They were a sorry, ungrateful lot for sure, but Moses represented God before the people and God was quick to call him out.
“At the Lord’s command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sin(ai) and moved from place to place.
Eventually they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink.
So once more the people complained against Moses.
“Give us water to drink!” they demanded.
“Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?”
But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses.
“Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? They are ready to stone me!”
The Lord said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people.
Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you.
I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai.
Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out.
Then the people will be able to drink.”
So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.
Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?””
Exodus 17:1-7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.17.1-7.NLT
“In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh.
While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.
The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers!
Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place?
This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”
Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground.
Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord said to Moses, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community.
As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water.
You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”
So Moses did as he was told.
He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord.
Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock.
“Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?”
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out.
So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”
This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.”
Numbers 20:1-13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/num.20.2-13.NLT
On both occasions, Moses acted rightly toward God. He took the people’s complaints to the only One who could help them. Moses was not capable of supplying water for this multitude. He had shepherded for his father in law Jethro for forty years in the desert and that had surely prepared him for this journey but as he said to God on more than one occasion, these are Your people. You saved them out of Egypt. You alone sustain them. That’s exactly what God was teaching Israel and Moses, a forerunner to Messiah, was required to trust God enough to display God’s holiness to the people. It was indeed an awesome responsibility but Moses was not alone. Neither are you. Neither am I.
“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.
When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.”
Isaiah 53:6-8, 11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.53.6-8.NLT
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him.
Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.
So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized.
And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away.
Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”
Colossians 2:6-10, 12-15 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/col.2.6-15.NLT
There is no such thing as autopilot in parenting or in faith. As I’ve heard it said, if you’re not actively moving forward, you’re backsliding.
“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control.
Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
So you must live as God’s obedient children.
Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.
You didn’t know any better then.
But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites.
He will judge or reward you according to what you do.
So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors.
And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.
It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end.
Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.”
1 Peter 1:13-20, 23 NLT
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