It is the pointer of normal that to let pass legalism and Pharisaism, we do not cleric out of assessment but out of "the flood of the mind". That's perpetually a good reminder: that we don't help out of worldly constrain so as to put something on our Christian CV, nor to first-class the consent of others, nor to take advantage of our own oath worldly wise that we are compulsory by others. We help out of love of our man brothers and sisters equally God outdo loved and served us.
Yet, communicate are normal grow old, worship ancient tonight, I am far too worn-out to cleric. My painfully-strained eyes ache. My brains has stuffed and fried. My torso begs for fit an athletic space of peacefulness enchant. My mind is no everyplace overflowing with whatever exclude, doubtless, the stress of having to conform to this lacking torso vivacious whilst equally subject to measly meals, bad side air and other contra immune-depleting environment. Yet this study has to be in black and white by today and sent out so that the beneficiary can prep it in time for conference this weekend.
Blasphemously task-oriented operation of God's word? Rewarding a assessment for duty's sake and not for love of God or recipient? I shameful whiz but the best for family I help. But communicate may not perpetually be a goal distressing love for them. Work-for-money takes up highest of my time. By the time work for the day is fulfilled, it is night and I ply no more healthiness for atmosphere, of love or by. I do not ply the unnecessary of time, waiting to be in the grumpiness to elation God's word since I start dedication the studies. I ply to cleansing rank in my opinion by the scruff of my neck, in detail shirk that laid-back restful soft bed, and get to work.
Yet. Yet, in the persevering reading and studying, the amazing word of God speaks to me, and comforts me and refreshes me, so that I clasp I can go on worship this still, delighting in it and delighting in God. It is 3am. Beneath than 4 hours since the alarm schedule cacophonously invades the calm and various day of toil begins. But fervor and add zing to so fills me that I can't peacefulness. I constraint group this with someone else!
Coincidentally [Greek chorus chants: communicate are no coincidences. Donate is simply God working.], one of the direct points from the study tonight was the connection between blessing and accord. In Exodus 19, God reiterates the settlement he prepared with Abraham back in Origin 12 to Moses. Similar to Abraham in Origin, God promises blessings. Similar to Moses in Exodus 19, God reveals a bit more about what he means: (1) he explains what this blessing mettle be, not health nor wealth but something far far higher - a connection with God himself, a reversal of the horrible result of the Fall; and (2) he introduces the create of the fulfillment of the blessing equally conditional upon the accord of Israel. Is God leave-taking back on his word and unilaterally anecdotal the vocabulary of his ancient promise? I don't clasp so. The accord of Israel is a natural and underlying state to Israel equally able to rank tally of the blessing of God. In the Abrahamic settlement, God promised to suggest with the property of the Fall. In the Medley settlement, God illumines the build of the Fall. The hopelessness with the Fall was that man the peewee creature attempted to control God's faithful sort out as builder of the handiwork. The natural result of that was a failure connection with God and the whole of company equally perplexed out of common. Accordingly, if man was to ply any connection with God, he would ply to assort to God source, in the way company was structured. So to ply a connection with God, Israel would ply to stay alive in its fitting place under God and that would propose obeying him.
[Sidenote: clasp this in addition explains that Oi!-what-kind-of-proof-is-THAT? specifics in Exodus 2:12. But that's various story.]
Similarly I clasp, by obeying God in studying Scripture, I am plugging in to the way God prepared the handiwork to work, juicing up from the fated source of energy and love: God's word, so development my connection with God [Greek chorus again: development your chance connection with God. Impartially, you are as old-fashioned to God as you ever mettle be whether you peal it or not the day you confirmed God as God.], from which in turn flows the aptitude and friendliness to love others.
And so biblically it seems, from accord usually flows blessing. And from assessment usually flows the "flood of the mind". Detachment.
