Day 222: Life Commitment

John 6:60-71; 1 Chronicles 25-26; Zechariah 11

The various followers of Jesus start to complain because Jesus' message is too difficult to understand. Essentially, they wanted something simple and easy. Jesus was challenging them too much. I'm so thankful that God requires great faith. Obtaining salvation is simple acceptance, but living the way Jesus calls us to live is not easy. It requires sacrifice, surrender, selflessness, and serving. This requires transformation. These followers of Jesus wanted a Sunday morning commitment, not a whole life commitment. Sadly, I look around and see the same thing in our churches today. People who don't want a difficult task, but as I've been trying to live my life the way Jesus calls me to do so, I'm realizing that while it is challenging and I will truly never master it this side of heaven, the reward is great.

What is interesting about these stories in Chronicles, is that we get to see a glimpse of how David ruled and why God considered him a "man after God's own heart." With each assignment, whether musician or guard, they asked God what he wanted. They didn't just step up and say, I should do this or that, but they found out from The Lord what he had created each person to do. We've all been given abilities and gifts, things that we are able to do really well. It is those things that are gifts from God and it is important to use them in the manner God intended. How do we know that? Ask him. We will be able to do more for the kingdom of God with our one spiritual gift, than if we attempt to do 10 things that we aren't very good at.

This passage in Zechariah is about leadership. A shepherd that doesn't care for his sheep properly is a worthless shepherd and his sheep are better off alone. God says that if leaders are going to get rich off their sheep, lead them to be slaughtered, and doesn't care about them, then he is going to get rid of the leaders. The sheep may wander off on their own, get hurt or eaten, but if the leader chose a path of greed and selfishness, then that is what is going to happen anyway. God's mercy is great, but he doesn't force it on anyone. What he wants are leaders who care for the strays and search for the young, who heal the sick and feed the hungry. Each of us need to learn to be leaders like that and follow leaders like that. It isn't easy being a good shepherd, but that is what God calls us to do--be like Jesus.