Confusing Roles
Deuteronomy 19:1, 8-9 “When the Lord your God cuts off the nations, whose land the Lord your God gives you and if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, . . . and gives you all the land which He promised . . . if you carefully observe all this commandment . . . to love the Lord your God and to walk in His ways always . . .”
Observation: The Lord was describing His plan to give the Israelites all the land promised them, and even more, so there would be plenty of cities of refuge. The magnificent sweep of His promises was that if obeyed, He would be surpassingly generous in response.
Application: In the course of relating His promises to the people, God makes clear that there is a division of labor in His economy. God has a role, and I have a role. His part is to do the warring to cut off His enemies, to defeat every foe so my territory can be enlarged. My part is to possess what He has made available, and to love Him and to walk in His ways.
How often I confuse my role with God’s. Is it the responsibility of an employee to see that the rent is paid, equipment purchased, supplies laid in for the day’s work? Of course not. That is the responsibility of the owner, properly delegated. Still, when I survey what seems to have been laid before me, it seems I must be quarterback, receiver, and blocker as I rush the goal. But that is never God’s intent. He is the owner; it is His job to plan, His job to run interference so each play will delight with its apparent ease.
My problem is that I grow impatient or conclude that I know better than He what needs to happen. So I try to assume His responsibility, warring in the flesh, mistaking presumption for great faith. Whenever I do that, I am actually operating in a lack of faith, because I do not trust Him to do what He has said He would do.
Prayer: Father, teach me to wait upon You, to be content in Your timing. Your resources are more than sufficient to win every battle, so when it seems that I am losing, when I see myself sinking like Peter did as he walked on the water, remind me, Lord, that the battle is Yours, and cause me to learn what You want me to learn while going through Your process. I choose to sit at Your feet, focusing on Your beauty, waiting on You, yearning to become one with You in every way. I love You, Lord.
