Pastor Shane, in discussing his previous life as a gang member, said (and I paraphrase) "I was volunteering as a church usher, but I still had my gang's red flag in my back pocket."
Is that our predicament? Do we stand to serve the Lord, but at the same time we harbor an allegiance to some person, group, or system that stands in opposition to God's word?
I have been reflecting on Shane's statement, and have been considering it in light of the Philistines' capture of the ark of God and their subsequent placement of the ark in the house of their god Dagon. Here are a few warnings for us to consider today-- especially those of us who have ministry assignments as volunteers or staff members.
You don't have to be a Christian to appropriate the ark of God. There are many who are unapologetically unsaved-- but they can write excellent Bible commentaries, sing Christian songs in a way that makes you want to worship God, et cetera. Just because someone appears spiritually gifted does not mean their hearts are submitted to the Spirit of God.
You don't always die immediately for doing the wrong thing. In First Samuel 5 we see that the Philistines were able to transport the ark of God into their own community, carry it into the temple of their idol, set it next to their idol... and not one of those persons was struck dead. Just because someone is "unpunished" does not mean they are doing the right thing.
You are given warnings before God acts. For the Philistines, their warning was expressed through the statue of Dagon over a period of two days: through the statue bowing before the ark of God on the first day, then through the statue being decapitated and losing its hands on the second day. Had they returned the ark immediately, they would not have had to suffer through months of torment.
How are we to respond?
Re-assessment: Do we belong to God, or are we merely appropriating his Presence while continuing to serve our own idols? Let us pray and ask Jesus to show us where we stand.
Repentance and Renunciation: We are called to live in complete obedience to the Spirit of Christ. Have we given ourselves completely to Him, or are there areas of our lives where we still refuse to give Him free rein? He calls us to let go of all idols and cling to Him.
Returning: We "return and keep returning" to worship the Living God. Not just carrying His name, but taking on the chabod-- being living expressions of His character, His love, and His grace.
Lord, help us to heed Your voice.
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