The Effects of Walking in Obedience
March 20, 2019·Dan Hicks
In this week’s Pause Bible Reading Plan, there’s an obscure verse that I believe represents a very basic principle in God’s Word:
In order to receive the new, we must trust Him and let go of the old.
This is fundamental in walking with the Lord. And it seems to be timely to what God is saying to us as a church in this season.
For example, when we accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, we let go of [got rid of] what we knew, so we could receive Christ and a new way of living. Then, as He leads you on your spiritual journey with Him, many times, do you find He directs you to give up certain ways of doing things, perhaps habits that have become clutter in your life, or relationships, so He can bless you with more of Him and His gifts?
In other words, with our willingness, He helps us clean out the old to make room for the new.
And then sometimes, He takes what is already there and, instead of replacing it with something else, He transforms it. Revelation 21:5 says, “…Behold, I am making all things new.”
In either case, God is still the Master. With Him, all things are possible (Mark 9:23).
I read Leviticus 26:10 this week, which says, “You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.”
I don’t know about you, but for me, many times there is something old in my heart that needs clearing out. It could be unforgiveness, bitterness, a wrong assumption or condemning attitude I’ve had for a long, long time, that I wasn’t even aware of…until God reveals it to me.
For me personally, one thing that was hidden for a long time was a skeptical attitude in my heart toward God. I didn’t know it, but I was blaming Him for things that didn’t turn out like I thought they should, or the way I wanted.
He revealed it to me through something simple. I tried to help a colleague. I was thinking of everything I knew to do, but it wasn’t working. It would have been a good thing to help, but I couldn’t. Frustration set it, and, in my heart, without knowing it, I blamed God.
I didn’t want to accept the fact that they could get help in another way. I wanted to do it for them, but God had something better in mind. And, instead of trusting Him to do that, I resented it.
Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). When truth is revealed, it sets the prisoners free. Praise the Lord!
This was an example in me, of “eating the old harvest,” as Leviticus 26:10 says.
When our hearts are cleaned out, then everything that stems from our hearts can also be cleaned up, and the new comes in behind and fills in all the empty places.
Here is the exciting part—the new. In Hebrews, “new” means: fresh, new thing; to rebuild, renew or repair.
This week’s verse provides us with a great incentive to clear out the old (with all its meanings and implications), when we see and sense the new. The question I have in closing is: “Can you see the new?”
Oh Lord, open our eyes that we can see.
Shalom,
Pastor Dan Hicks
