Rock & Sand

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Reading: Revelation 22:1-14

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived

what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor 2:9)

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Christian life begins with obedience to the Gospel. From beginning to end Christian life is a life of obedience. That's why unbelievers are called the "children of disobedience" (Eph 5:6). No doubt obedience to God is difficult, but it is not a drudgery. This was made clear in one of the very early discourses of Jesus: "My yoke is easy... My burden is light" (Mt 11:28-30). To this the dear most disciple of Jesus, even John, said Amen when he testified at the end of his six decade of Christian life, "God's commandments are not burdensome" (1 Jn 5:3b).

Obedience becomes easy when we think of the future rewards God has promised to those who obey Him. "There remains a rest for the people of God... Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience" (Heb 4:9,11). Obedience may be a struggle now, but this struggle will be over in eternity. When we enter the heavenly rest, we would cease from our works — struggles and efforts—as God did from His! (v10). One day of rest in God's literal presence will be worth all the efforts we took for thousands of days on earth to walk in obedience before Him!

Jesus spoke about two buildings in His Sermon on the Mount. One was built by a wise man and that was on a rock, the other by someone foolish and that was on sand. The wise man was one who lived and worked in obedience to God's will revealed in His Word. His building withstood all storms and floods. But the building of the disobedient man was washed away (Mt 7:24,25). This illustration was the conclusion of Christ's longest recorded sermon. It was a warning against disobedience, more so a motivation for obedience! If I believe in life after death I must choose to obey God in life before death. There may be some immediate gains if we choose the way of the world; but the ultimate rewards are only to those who stick to the principles of the Word of God.

A promise from the Old Testament is a great motivator for obedience: Deuteronomy 28:13, "The Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, and are careful to observe them!"

Firm as a rock, though surges dash around us!

Firm as a rock, though trials dark may fall!

Yet shall we cling to Him, the Rock of Ages,

Jesus, the Holy One, our All in All! (Fanny J. Crosby, 1823-1915)

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