It has been a little over two years since I have blogged. With the boom of everything viral and on the internet in general, I am quickly coming to the understanding that to be relevant to the next generation of unbeliever's I need to be more intentional and diligent in attempting to blog.
If you know me personally, you most likely know that my wife just gave birth to our fifth child. We are now the proud parents of three boys and two girls, ages 11-new born. Some may read that previous line and be expecting some parenting advice. That will not be the case. I am a father who fumbles over his duties more often than he would like to admit. (Though my wife I am sure would be able to share some wonderful insights if she ever chooses to blog.)
However, one thing about our son being born did strike me as a wonderful reminder of the blessings that God gives us through of all things the Law and His commands. When our first two boys were born they ended up being circumcised in the hosptial a day or two after they were born. However, two weeks ago when Alexander was born we were notified that there was no one on duty to perform the circumcision and so we took him home and called our family doctor (who is a believer) to perform the circumcision on what happened to be the eighth day since our baby boy's birth.
Which got me to thinking about the commandment God gave the Israelites about circumcising infants on the eighth day (Genesis 17:12). I have heard the comments in my limited experience as a full time Pastor that God has imposed harsh and unrealistic commands and expectations on us. Now I am in no way comparing Israel to the church in this little blog, it is a discussion for a different medium (and by one more trained then I), but I do want to discuss God's "imposition" on us.
While my wife and I were in the hospital this last time, we were told by the nurses that one of the shots they administered to the new borns was a shot of vitamin K. Vitamin K we were told was instrumental for our bodies to help clot our blood. We were also told that the human body does not produce vitamin K on its own until...can you guess it? Day 8!
Could you please explain to me how God through the command to circumcise on day 8 and not sooner can be considered harsh. God created us, He knows how our body works, He afterall formed it. When God told us to circumcise on day 8 he knew that the human body would finally be able to clot the blood that inevitably comes when a young boy is circumcised.
It is a blessing that God told us to wait! I hate to imagine how many tragadies would have happened before the Israelites figured out not to circumcise as soon as the babies were born, or on day two, or on day three...
If it is true that God actually blessed us when considering the command to circumcise on day 8, could it not be true for other commands as well? I am convinced that yes, God does makes commands of His creation (and He has every right to do so) because it brings Him glory. But, He also makes commands of us, because it blesses His creation, which in turn brings Him glory. It is a cyclical argument. And we cannot afford to miss it.
If you and I simply recognize God's commands as bringing Him glory, we can easily and quickly perceive Him, as many do, as a harsh dictator. However, if we recognize only that His commands are for our benefit, we end up promoting the "social gospel", benefitting others, without calling sinners to repentance.
To sum up. God has the right to make demands of His creation; and His demands are indeed instilled to bring Him glory. However, God's commands also bring upon us, His creation, blessings.
Will you not choose today to obey His commands to bring Him glory AND to be blessed?
