Teachable Moments
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17
Welcome, friends, to another week. All of us in the faith have had teachable moments. Our position in the church does not matter- whether we sit in the pew, direct the choir, or preach, God exempts no one from these lessons. In that respect, we sometimes act like children- wanting to do things our way. In these moments, God shows us his ways are not ours. He also shows us he designates someone to look after our souls like he did in the desert and does at church. Two beautiful examples of teachable moments were the Israelite's disobedience and Paul's chastisement and obedience to God. The Israelites had to learn to follow Moses' instructions as he ruled over them and had to give an account to God. In the second example, God showed Saul that he is the master of a person's life. The third is our acceptance of God's discipline. It is during these occasions God shapes our character.
During the first lesson, the children of Israel learned to obey by traveling through the desert. In Exodus 16, though the rulers enslaved them, the congregation complained because they missed life in Egypt. Then they wanted more meat and bread. God heard their complaints; therefore, he gave them flesh to eat in the evening and bread in the morning. However, these spoiled children never stopped complaining while constantly moving from Elim to the wilderness of sin. (Exodus 15-16) While traveling in the desert, God fed them manna which was bread from Heaven. Though Moses instructed the congregation about the manna, they refused to listen. Exodus 16:20 As a result, God provided numerous learning opportunities.
The next lesson involved a combination of mercy, grace, obedience, and humility. Though God is the same in the Old and New Testaments, circumstances and times differed. Still, the value of his lessons did not diminish. Saul was a devoutly religious man, a Pharisee, determined to rid the world of Christianity using persecution, arrest, jail, and even death. Thus, he agreed to the murder of Stephen. (Acts 7:58-8:3). However, this man was yet to meet Jesus. As Paul walked to Damascus to murder more Christians, Jesus stopped him. It was through his three days of blindness that Jesus taught Paul many lessons. As a result, Saul (Paul) believed in Jesus, then became one of the most devout followers of Christ. Throughout the following years, Paul's ministry led many to Christ. He also penned thirteen (may not be the exact number) new testament books. His missionary journeys impacted many people and still do. Ultimately, he gave his life defending the gospel. His legacy still affects millions today.
The last teachable moment is humility. All can learn valuable lessons from the Bible. God continues correcting and perfecting the saints through discipline. Therefore, openness and humility are crucial to our transformation. When we listen to instructions, we become obedient and patient, which promotes a godly spiritual life and inward growth. These attributes are essential as we aim to become more like Jesus in everything we do. I have learned and continue learning these life lessons: first, be humble when God corrects our mistakes; accept his correction with a grateful attitude and heart. Next, always acknowledge God's divine attributes and be open to change using the Bible as a guide. Depend on God's holy will and not our own. Finally, we should never allow our human attitudes to stop our spiritual growth, a lesson the Israelites realized. Ultimately, we aim to grow in the Lord and his word with humility and gratitude.
I hope this blog blesses all searching for Christ and encourages those who have found the Lord. He offers salvation (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), no questions asked once a person believes with the heart. It is too late to accept his offer of salvation when we die. God gives grace and mercy daily. Please consider his gift of salvation. I would love to hear from you. Please email me at mailto:dorothy@savedheartfaith.com or mailto:dburrell38@yahoo.com I hope you have a great week. Please remember to visit YouTube for the shortened companion video to this blog. Thank you for reading this week's blog.
