Daily Manna: Rebellion!

Thursday 12, December 2013

TEXT: ISAIAH 30:1-30

KEY VERSE: “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin” (Isaiah 30:1).

A boy was said to be a heartache to his father by being rebellious to his words. His father, who got worried, not for anything else, but for how the boy was destroying his own life, called him and said: “I want to show you what you’re doing to your life. I’m going to put a wooden post in our front yard. Every time you rebel, I will put a nail in this post. Every time you obey, I will pull out one nail.” The boy stubbornly replied: “I’m going to do everything I can to fill that post with nails,” which he actually did.

Within two months, he filled that post with nails. Later, he realised the damage he had done, not only to his own life, but also to his parents and decided to have a change of life. His father, as he promised, began to remove the nails one by one. When the last nail came out, the boy broke down in tears. His father astonishingly asked: “Son, why are you crying?” The boy replied: “I got rid of the nails, but I can’t get rid of the holes.”

Unfortunately, Judah’s case was more of a weeping situation. Apart from making military agreements with God’s enemies, they trusted in the king of Egypt’s protection against the Assyrians. They even paid homage to the king of Egypt and had the plan to return there, which was a complete neglect of God’s will.

God, therefore, sent Isaiah to them to reveal their spiritual unclothedness, particularly their lies, refusal to listen to His instructions and penchant to hear only what would be pleasant to their ears. God warned them against living in an illusion of overcoming their enemies because their wickedness was like a crack in the wall of their lives which would suddenly crash, except they repent of their sins.

Today, many Christians are akin to Judah, taking God for granted. While some of them have joined occults to seek protection, others trusted in talisman and other negative forces to make progress in life. Fornication, adultery, hatred, malice, backbiting and gossiping are more like water, which they drink freely. If you are among them, repent because there will be judgment.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The beginning of one’s misery is to live by one’s own will.

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