(Stewardship 2) I. “Who”: Rescued from the System

Psalm 25 
12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.

Today is E’s special day (the day he was born, but not the month). By schedule, I started my day by reading Psalm 25, 55, 85, 115, 145 and Proverbs 25. I started this reading plan a few years ago after attending a Jewish Scripture exhibition and learning about this helpful reading plan. I need His wisdom, comfort, conviction or simply to hear the genuine outcry from the Psalmists. His Word is living, active and enduring. In different seasons of life, His word breathes life to my weary soul. 

As a human-being made in His image, I don’t just live life ignorant of what the future holds unless I ignore the gentle voice deep within. I can try to muffle that voice by pursuing temporary pleasures, obtaining earthly possessions and fame, or simply getting busy so I don’t have time to think. The worldly system feeds that desire for convenience, pride and pleasure. We willingly or unwillingly jump right into the worldly traps generation after generation. I was a slave to my own evil and fallen desires. I was in bondage to the crippling worldly systems. I had a love-hate relationship with the dysfunctional system. The system abused me and I was using the system to get what I wanted. Life seemed good! I was following the system so I felt and looked good by the standards set by the system. 

However I felt or looked normal from the outside, I was despertely helpless and needy from within.  I needed freedom from the worldly standards and systems. I was trapped. 

I needed a Savior to drag me out of the dark pit with His loving firm grip. I needed a Savior to woo me by His gentle love so I could have the strength to come out of the darkness willingly. I needed a Savior to take off my filthy rags with His tender love.

My Savior is also my Lord and Redeemer! He pays the high price of the penalty of my sin. He shed blood on the cross so I can live. I have a new Master, a good Master. I fear Him because I love Him. I follow Him because He leads me to my inherited land. The promised land for Israelites was a real place overflowing with milk and honey. God’s heart is to bless His people, even if it takes painful discipline. There is always hope in His eternal promise of His presence in the land to come in our Heavenly Kingdom. 

When the Gospel first came to me over two decades ago, I was living my secular life in a secular country receiving a secular education. Accepting the Truth was a choice, but more accurately put, was an unstoppable calling. The Almighty God has revealed His power and unrelenting love to me, a stubborn sinner. By His mercy and grace, I chose life, eternal life with Him! 

That was a total paradigm shift. My values, philosophies, priorities all turned upside down or jumbled up. Little did I know, that was only the beginning of a life-transforming journey on earth. Not only was my belief system transformed, but also every aspect of my life started to take a new path with my new Master. 

We generally sense the disdain of the concept of slavery due to our knowledge of the wicked masters in the world. You cannot genuinely love your good master without knowing Him. The more I know my Master, my Lord, Jesus, the more I delight in my identity as a bond servant of His. This bondage gives comfort, security and joy! He even chose me! He will choose you too if you are willing to surrender. He will instruct you in the ways you should go, one step a time. Abundant life in Him will look different from the standards of the world, but surely it will come as He has promised. 
“ Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?” If you are one of them, read on and hope you are encouraged in your seeking of His will. If you don’t know the Lord, you probably don’t know what “fear the Lord” really means. That’s okay! I invite you to join our adventure with Jesus.  If you are seeking the truth, He will be found. Just continue to do the next right thing for those you love. He is the Truth! God may be calling you to the country without your acknowledging His leading. His calling may start with a physical place but it can end up at a much higher spiritual place. Just press on seeking life in the light of God’s Word! (Biblegateway.com is a good place to start if you don’t have a Bible yet.)

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Here are links to all 16 posts in the “Stewardship” journal from Elyse’s Journal written around 3/25/2023. (The link will not work until the post is posted.)
1. Seeking His will to take back the stewardship of the land (Rob’s Introduction)
2. I. “Who”: Rescued from the System
3. II. “Fear the Lord” and “He will instruct”: Shake-up 1: Work System
4. “Fear the Lord” and “He will instruct”: Shake-up 2a: Medical System
5. “Fear the Lord” and “He will instruct”: Shake-up 2b: Birth System
6. “Fear the Lord” and “He will instruct”: Chain of Spirit-led decisions
7. “Fear the Lord” and “He will instruct”: Shake-up 3: Education
8. “Fear the Lord” and “He will instruct”: Aliens and Strangers in the world
9. “Fear the Lord” and “He will instruct”: Freedom
10. Simple, Abundant Living as a family wherever you are
11. Called to the Land
12. III. Land – “Inheritance”
13. Land – “Inheritance” (continued)
14. IV. How (resources)
15. Resources
16. Conclusion