Are You An Object Lesson?

Jonadab, son of Rechab must have been a pretty tough character. At some time in Israel's history he told his sons not to drink wine and to always live in tents. I wonder how many times the Rechabites talked amongst themselves saying "boy I feel like a good glass of wine" or "when it's rainy and cold, these tents sure are uncomfortable."

Through all of that, though, they stayed the course and didn't give into the temptation to go against Jonadab's wishes. How many times did they wonder "Why are we still doing this? Jonadab has been dead a long time!"

Then one day the prophet Jeremiah comes calling, asks them to come to the Temple and in front a bunch of people tells them to drink wine. They refused, rightly. Jeremiah didn't command them in the name of the Lord, so their ancestor's command took precedence.

Their refusal, as it turns out, was God's way of making a huge point to Israel. Jeremiah, now speaking for God, said "...they have obeyed their ancestor's command. But I have spoken to you time and time again, and you have not obeyed Me!" (Jeremiah 35:14)

The sons of Rechab, as it turns out, were a huge object lesson for God. All that time they wondered why they were obeying a dead ancestor's command, and God ended up using it as a way to discipline his people.

Do you wonder sometimes why you are going through difficulties? Is it a temptation to stop following God and escape the trouble? Don't. How do you know that people aren't watching you? How do you know that God is not using you as an object lesson or as a way to point people to Himself?

Keep loving and following God, even if it seems "uncomfortable" or even if you don't do the things you long for in obedience to the Lord's commands. God is watching and God is using!

Pastor Tom