From now on I call you not servants... but I
have called you friends, – Jn 15:15
The difference between the Old Testament and
the New Testament is more than that blank page between Malachi and Matthew.
It’s a radically new system in man’s relation with God; something the book of
Hebrews calls “a new and living way”, (Heb 10:20).
This is why our Lord didn’t want His disciples
to fast while the Old system was being dismantled and the New was being set up.
Like He said, “No man puts new wine into old wineskins;” (Luk 5:37).
It’s easy to conflate the system of the OT
with the New, because on the surface, nothing seems to have changed. God still
demands holiness, we still pray, we still fast, we still give and God still
expects us to be separate from the world (sanctified). In essence, we still go
to the same MALL.
However, what distinguishes the Believer from
the OT Saint is that while one goes there for shopping, the other goes there to
work. One goes out of pleasure, the other goes out of necessity. They may both
rise up early to get to the MALL, but one is hurrying to get the “Early Worm”
deal, while the other is hurrying not to get a query.
One gives out of gratitude to God, the other
gives lest his heavens be closed shut! While one lingers at the MALL because
there’s just so much to see/receive (NT prayer), the other lingers as well –
just to say, "I stayed for hours" (religious prayer). One fasts in
order to enlarge his shopping cart, the other fasts to show contrition and
elicit pity.
The attitude with which we approach the Grace
MALL determines whether we’re a worker or a shopper. When we see fastings and
giving as things to do to move God, or try to rack up the hours
during prayer time to make God see how serious we are, then we’re still
in the Worker-mode.
True New Testament Believers are SHOPPERS. They approach the
MALL with BOLDNESS and confidence. Their hours spent in prayer, study, etc. are
not to PLEASE God (they’re already “accepted in the Beloved,” Eph 1:6),
or to BEG Him to give to them (all things are already theirs in Christ,
Rom 8:32). But their lingering is in order to explore and take more of all that
their loving Heavenly Father had made available to them.
So, the next time you pray, study or engage in
any other spiritual exercise, ask yourself this pertinent question, “Am I
working or am I shopping?”
AMEN.
More Blessings await you today; you’ll not
miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN
No comments:
Post a Comment