If God is Really Big, Why Chase the Easy Things?

 

If you could choose any path,
why would you take the easy one?

You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. - John 15:16

This is our founding verse as Equip Mozambique and I was reflecting on it before one of our board meetings. After seeing so many temporary projects and results, we wanted something more permanent. We saw so many temporary fixes and people that had projects that looked good in photos but were really decaying on the inside and were not benefiting anyone.

“There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root” - Henry David Thoreau. 

I see our call as a call to deal with the biggest issues, the most profound problems of Mozambican society. I see it as permission to go after the issues that others turn a blind eye toward because they think it’s impossible to do anything about. Corruption? Widows and orphans in one of the poorest countries in the world? Lack of medical care? Bring it on. We are nothing and no one. However, we don’t make decisions based on our own capacity. We make decisions on the capacity of our God who is with us. And He is big. And if He really is big, why would we chase the easy things?

Rewards are Awkward

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6 (emphasis added)

Reward is built into the Christian life. This is a little awkward for me, because I’ve been taught that you shouldn’t have to have a reward to do the right thing. I still believe that’s the case, but we don’t live in an ideal world. Also, when just looking at the rest of my life, I optimize for reward - what will this action bring me? To divorce the Christian life from reward takes the teeth and action out of it, because you can have a faith without fruit, a life without results.

I was reading a book about why men don’t like going to church and it mentioned reward was a big part of it. Men are more likely to look at the reward of a certain activity. And why not? I don’t do things unless I consider it worth my time. I just don’t think I realized how much of a hypocrite I was being in insisting my time / money / energy meant something outside of faith while insisting for pure motives inside.

This isn’t just some obscure verse - it’s an oft-quoted one from the Faith chapter. And this isn’t the only time Jesus talks about reward. When Peter tells Jesus they have given up everything, Jesus talks about the reward the disciples will receive for their sacrifice. In work, rewards are one of the most basic motivational tactics. It looks like, yet again, my own ideas of the world come smack into the truth of scripture and I am forced to change or ignore them.

Thank you Lord for your word is truth. Thank you for using rewards to bring us to you. Thank you for being a realist and seeking us where we are at, and not waiting till our motivations or lives are perfect before seeking us out.

 

Rest and Fear

 

Continuing my journey through rest in Hebrews… I realized that my though- life is not at rest. I am constantly worried about what people think, and that takes a ton of effort on my part. I think this is where the fear of the Lord comes in… God knows we won’t just stop fearing other people so his mandate to us was to fear Him more.

When God tells you to do something, instead of thinking “what will ____ think?” we should think “what will God think if I disobey?” Instead of “what will the consequences be if I step out in faith” think “what will they be if I DON’T?”

I have a pretty decent life right now and am happy being where I am at. In fact, I am finding myself worried to go to God honestly because I’m afraid He’ll tell me to move on, and I’m worried I will disappoint tons of people. I’m worried that whatever insane thing He asks me to do will put me back on the ropes financially. I’m worried that, after 7 years here in Mozambique, of not having any respect, He’ll cause me to lose it all following after Him.

But what happens if God has something more for me? I’ve trusted Him so far and it’s worked out… Can I trust Him in the unknown? So many people would be satisfied to be where I am now spiritually, but what if God is calling me to something different, something larger? Or even something smaller? Which one am I more afraid of?

Does it matter? Trusting in God has got me to this place - it’s foolish to turn around and to start trusting in man.

God, you have got me this far and I TRUST you with my future. Lead me on and don’t let me now start trusting in people.