October 10 – His Prescription for Obedience (Isaiah 51:12-16)

“Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the Lord your Maker?
(Isaiah 51:12-13)

IN WORD:
Our actions are often guided by other people more than they are guided by God’s Holy Spirit. What a travesty of the Divine plan! The One who created us, who has bought us back, who sustains us daily, is the One we push to the back burner in order to please the fickle opinions of transient minds. How can we break out of this fear of man?
We can escape only by an intentional, emphatic focus on who our God is. We must rehearse his Word and His past mercies in our minds. We must train our hearts to care first and foremost for Him. We must understand the relative lack of power of people compared to the almighty Lord of hosts. We must remember that He holds heaven and earth, time and eternity, welfare and calamity, and the keys to every human heart in His hand. There is no one else we try to impress who wields such power. Not even close.
God’s prescription for our obedience is to let Him fill our minds. But we so often fail at this. We’re worried about others laughing at us, criticizing us, looking down on us, and shutting us out of their circles. Instead, we should be preoccupied with the awesome prestige of our God: He alone can comfort us (v. 12), He made us (v. 13), He stretched out the vast expanse of the heavens and laid the firm foundations of earth (v. 13), He runs the currents of the oceans (v. 15), and He established a people for Himself (v. 16). Who else would guide our paths?

IN DEED:
It is a delusion of fallen sinners that causes us to place more value on human opinion than on God. And we’re hypocrites about it: We stress our independence and freedom, yet enslave ourselves to public opinion and the shifting sands of culture.
God calls His servants to be released from captivity. The spirit that is full of Him will not be so deluded. His opinion alone matters, and it is liberating. Stand firm on His truth, never be moved, and let fear be far from your heart!

“It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.” -John Witherspoon-