Revelation

Paul, in his letter to Timothy, suggests that there are going to be some folks who have "itchy ears" and "accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from the listening to the truth and wander away to myths." (2Tim 4:3-4)

Translation...tell me what I want to hear and keep me happy. Fill me with good stuff and warm devotions. Let me have that "guidepost" gospel where it all ends well and everyone lives happily ever after.

My experience has been and is, life seldom works like that. Even the Christian life. But again, that is my "experience". The more time I spend in scripture the more is revealed to me about my life, my thinking, my "convictions", my understanding of God, and my pilgrimage.  That combined, serves to manage my expectations of  life.

I have just finished reading through Isaiah. It is a book that one could spend their life studying and I expect never fully understand. Nevertheless, some things were revealed to me that were important.  Now when I say "revealed" - I don't mean God spoke to me - or I had a revelation... I think we all should know by now He doesn't do that any longer. His final word was in Christ and Scripture.  What I mean is, I came to understand.

I came to understand:

Listening to God is important (51)

Obedience to God is important (48)

Worship without being in right relationship to your "neighbor" is unacceptable to God (57-59)

God will accomplish His purpose regardless (46)

God's Word will always come to pass (55)

You might say "duh" to all of those. But giving assent to them with your mind and actually practicing them, is similar to what Paul was saying to Timothy.  And, I might add, the basis of Israel's problem with God! There is a big difference between knowing and doing.  And apparently God takes none of this lightly.

I suspect -- neither should I.