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Jun 16, 2022 18:30pm

Choose to Honor Him

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My son does obedience training for our puppies and I watch him as he teaches them basic commands like sit, stay, and down. Time after time, the puppy gets distracted, doesn’t listen, and wants to do their own thing. But one thing I notice about Hunter is how patient he is with them. He knows they are puppies and they have to learn. He gives them treats and encouragement with positive reinforcement and soon they start to ease into the command. Finally, one day, they listen. They sit, they hold the eye contact as he backs away, and they even lie down. The moment when you realize “they finally got it” is a great feeling!

From Genesis to Numbers, time and time again we have seen the Israelites in their own form of obedience training. God’s authority demands our service and obedience to Him. However, the Israelites wanted to do as they pleased, they didn’t listen and they were easily distracted. God commanded them to go to war with the Midianites, a heathen nation. When Moses spoke with the men after the battle, they told of all the spoils they brought back. They didn’t kill all the people, they decided to bring the women with them.

The women, if you recall, were prostitutes used in their pagan religious rituals. They were the reason the men were killed in chapter 25.

These are the same women they just brought home. Immediately, Moses orders their death. Left with the men, they would only tempt them to serve other gods and cause the men to continually sin.

They were not obedient.

Until, the men did a head count of all that had gone into the battle and realized, not one man had died. So, without prodding or being told to do so, the people brought an offering to the Lord.

“And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses: And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us. We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.” (Numbers 31:48-50)

They finally got something right! They had listened, they were paying attention and instead of doing what they wanted, they did what the Lord would require of them.

Every day, we are faced with tempting situations and moments that threaten to lure us away from God and to sin. We could stop listening to the Holy Spirit, just ignore Him leading us in the other direction. We could easily get distracted by the lust of the eyes and what is being offered or laid out before us. And we could do what we wanted to do… but will it glorify our Lord?

Choose to honor Him. Choose to hear His voice of correction and guidance. Choose to obey the Lord.