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Perspective About God
Perspective About God
Perspective changes everything. Facebook had a link about perspective using photos. Signal lights hanging down at an intersection look small. Reality is they are 3 and a half feet tall! Getting closer to something changes our perspective.
Do we need a change in perspective concerning God’s commands? Hebrews 10, along with many other scriptures, shows God want more than sacrifices; He wants us, our hearts and minds. But what does that mean?
In a book I’m reading, there is this quote:
• “…the use of sacraments can become very legalistic. Instead of being seen as flexible symbols of a deeper relationship that God has already established, they become vehicles of works-righteousness – activities that we think….we ‘must’ perform to prove our worth or earn favor with God and others.”
If that is our perspective, then everything she said makes sense. Nothing we can do can prove our worth. And it is true any act can become legalistic. But…what if we need to change our perspective about God’s symbols and our obedience?
Check your Bibles. Moses was condemned for striking the rock instead of speaking to it and God said he had treated Him in an unholy manner by not believing God. Naaman wasn’t cleansed until the 7th time he immersed himself. When we can obey as God commanded, we need to. Hezekiah’s Passover is a glorious lesson that shows God accepts when we can’t obey perfectly but still want to get close to God. But when we can obey strictly as God commands, how do we view such obedience? What is our proper perspective?
• It is not like the Jews in Old Testament days that believed God was selfish and would be satisfied with just the physical sacrifices.
• It is not like the above quote and too many today who believe they need to prove their worthiness.
• It IS, God is worthy of my submission and subjection in all aspects of life which includes submission to what details He has said, and submission of my heart, mind, attitude, and body, as gratitude to the relationship He has allowed me to have.
If we change our perspective towards submitting out of thankfulness, then His commands are not burdensome, nor legalistic. Jesus submitted to my needs and I need to submit to Jesus. Jesus submitted to his Father to teach me to submit to my Father. Perspective changes everything the closer we get to God.
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