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"Thinking that we have done what we need to do in the spiritual realm to reap the rewards of a God blessing us in the physical realm puts us in a place to relate to our God in “proper and appropriate” ways rather than “real and alive” ways."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 160.
There is nothing more disheartening to me than to meet a Christian who has been blessed with worldly success when they attribute their success to the fact that they have been blessed by God as a result of their following Him so closely. I want to scream at the top of my lungs, "Are you kidding me? Have you not read the Bible at all?"
Are they really so delusional as to believe that God rewards people who follow Him with and easy life? Have they ever heard of the name Jesus? Surely the son of God was just a little bit better than these successful Christians will ever be at following God the Father. What was Jesus' reward? Was it money? Was it long life? Was it a successful ministry? No, no and no!
The reward Jesus was given for following God better than any man, woman or child has in the past or will in the future is failure, isolation, bankruptcy, persecution and death. I just don't get it when people chalk up their cushy life to walking so completely with God that He can't help reward them for their stalwart dedication when God's own son didn't even come close to that kind of reward in spite of the fact He deserved so much more then we will ever enjoy in our lives.
Sometimes victors can view victory as something it was never intended to be - a reward for a job well done. The reality is that victors that look to the success they may find in this world as a sign of God's pleasure with their walk are nothing more than victim thinkers wrapped up in the trappings of this world. Oh how far they have to fall when the rug they are standing on gets ripped out from under their feet by evil in this world.
Look, I have no problem with God doting over His Children in ways that are extravagant. I have experienced that in my own life. What proud father wouldn't bless his children with all they need and more. It just doesn't feel right to me to think that I could ever rise to the level of dedication to God that comes anywhere near what Jesus lived out during his short stint in this world. That's what I feel like Christians of means are saying when they think their good fortune in life is a result of their personal dedication to God. Comparing ourselves to God in any way where we can take pride in our life doesn't seem to me to be all that bright of a strategy.
The kind of thinking that makes people believe that they have mastered relationship with the God that made us reminds me of the story of Job. Job is a man who was certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time. God entertains Satan one day and points out the fact that Job is such a strong follower of His. Satan says to God that the only reason Job is so devout in his worship of God is the goodness God has allowed Job to amass in his life. Satan's contention is that if God were to remove all the goodness Job would surely curse God. God is so confident in his son Job that He allows Satan to literally destroy his life. Job loses his family, his riches and eventually his health at the hand of Satan. Not too great of a reward for following God so closely, if you ask me. I wonder what my wealthy Christian friends think of this kind of blessing when it comes to being such a good follower of their creator?
Much of the book of Job is story after story of the suffering Job goes through and the conversations that are had as a result of everyone watching this drama unfold. Finally at the end of the Book of Job, God appears. To Job's credit, he has not cursed God - in fact he refused to do so even though many outright begged him to. What Job did end up doing is to question God in a way that somehow made God out to be someone that might not be worthy of complete and unyielding trust. After all, if this could happen to such a righteous man as Job, could any man ever stand before this God?
As Job tries to defend his statements about God, God decides to speak up for Himself. The following is but a sample of how God responds to Job's questioning of God's plan and purpose for His creation.
Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it? Job 38:3-5 (NIV)
I don't know if you have even been in a situation where your mouth ran a little faster than your brain was working, but the opening line of our reading today reminds me of when I have been in such a situation. Right from the first question, I believe Job knew he had really stepped in it with God.
God warns Job to brace himself. I don't believe it is because God was going to discipline his son. No, I think God wanted Job to hold on because he was about to get an education into the perspective and power of this God many thought Job knew so well.
I have no problem with believers having riches of all kinds. I'm one one of those believers - If you live in the United States of America and believe in Jesus Christ then you too are one of those believers with riches most of the rest of the world look at in total amazement. What bothers me to the core is the possibility that anyone could think that they have gotten this God thing down so well that He has no option but to pour out blessing on them for such a job well done.
You aren't a victor because of the victory that you think has happened as a result of your perfectly lived-out efforts here or earth. We are victors because Jesus died to make us acceptable (God calls it blameless and without fault at the beginning of Job).
Please don't ever let your circumstances influence your thinking when it comes to your position or your identity. You aren't blessed because of your actions. You are blessed for a purpose - to be a blessing to others. Let God lead you on a journey of discovery today that might have to start with the need to brace yourself as you learn a bit more about the breadth and width of this amazing God we serve. This is the same God we have been given the right to call Father. Thank Him for your blessings and fight the temptation to believe that you have earned those blessings by anything you have done for Him. Then an only then can you, like Job, live a life that is real and alive as the Child God has made you to be.
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