Following God (Part One)

We know from the Old Testament that the Israelites had a bit of a patchy history when it came to following the Lord. But they are by no means unique in that. What we may think of as the established church hasn’t always done what is right in the eyes of God. Child abuse by priests, covered up by bishops. The torture and murder of those they saw as heretics. Conversions at the point of a sword. Splitting over seemingly minor issues sometimes. And what about that early church to whom the apostles preached and Paul and others wrote their letters? A pristine, pure body of believers? Sadly not. It’s clear that there were real problems from what we read in Paul's letters, not to mention the letters to the churches in Revelation. Quarrels over the best leader to follow. Taking each other to court. Turning to false gospels. Gossiping and backbiting. I bet that doesn’t even sound like a big deal to us. It may not have been widespread but it was bad enough to mention. So, how about us? Are we any good at following God? Or is our devotion patchy, too?

In Numbers 9:15-23, we see one of those occasions on which the Israelites were very obedient. God directed them using a cloud which appeared over the tabernacle. When the cloud lifted, that was the sign to move. When it settled down, that was the place to camp. Now, I don’t know about you, but on the face of it that looks a bit easy. To have such a clear sign from God should be a doddle to obey. I wonder if this counts as “baby steps”?

Sometimes people will strangely say it's hard to know God's will. “You know what would make it really easy to obey? If God just told us straight out in plain words what He wanted us to do.” Yeah, He did that and we have it recorded in the Bible. Most of the time it's not really that difficult to know what He wants from us. But why accept the plain Word of God when you can complicate things to the point that everything can be objected to or interpreted in many contradictory ways? We sometimes seem to want to make things hard on ourselves. “The Bible is a big book and hard to understand! How about if God just came down and stood in front of us and spoke to us?” Yep, He did that as well! And we have His words recorded in the gospels. That didn't always go down well either. Even though God has spoken directly and often clearly, that doesn’t make following Him easier. Here's the problem: people don't always like what He’s telling us and we may decide we ain’t gonna do it. We find ways of saying “He didn’t really mean that”. It might well be clear what following Him entails, but it needs a heart and will to actually do it.

In our days we don’t have a cloud directing us or a physical Jesus on the ground to wander around with. And as we see in the Bible, neither of these guaranteed obedience either. Our task is potentially harder and potentially easier. We have to walk by faith and not by sight. But we have a written word to consult and the Holy Spirit of God living within us. Blessed are those who haven’t seen but believe anyway.

I don’t want to be down on the Israelites, the early church or the established church. There is likely often more good than bad. The problem is that the bad taints and spoils the good. I am very conscious that I also sin and fall short of the glory of God, along with everyone else. “Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed.” (Jeremiah 17:9) So sick, we need a new heart. Chipping away at the heart of stone won’t work. “Everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence. But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.” (Romans 3:23-24) I know my shortcomings and how desperately I need the blood of Jesus to cleanse me. I wish it wasn’t so. When we come to take communion I often thank Him for dying for our sins and wishing that I hadn’t made it necessary.

As a hymnwriter put it:

“Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood,

Sealed my pardon with His blood: Halellujah! What a Saviour!

Guilty, vile and helpless we; Spotless Lamb of God was He;

Full atonement! Can it be? Halellujah! What a Saviour!”

And another:

“And can it be that I should gain An int’rest in the Saviour’s blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain— For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

For when we were still helpless, Christ died for the wicked at the time that God chose. God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! (Romans 5:6‭, ‬8)

And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him. This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven. (1 John 4:9‭-‬10)