The purpose of our lives isn’t to see how much we can get away with and still be Christians; rather, it is to glorify God.
While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they were sustained by God’s provision of food (manna) and drink (water from a rock). This was a remarkable display of God’s love and power for Israel and a foreshadow of the spiritual food and drink we receive at the Lord’s table (the bread and juice). God was present with the Jewish nation, providing miraculously for their needs, even as He is with us today.
For all of their blessings and spiritual experiences, the Israelites never entered into what God really had for them, just like the Corinthian Church. They set their hearts on evil things such as sexual immorality, idol worship, grumbling and testing the patience of God.
Paul reminded the church that although the Israelites were directly guided by God’s presence and provided for in extraordinary ways, they kept willfully and repeatedly sinning against God. Paul cautioned the Corinthians not to make similar mistakes by thinking they were so spiritual they couldn’t fall into the same sinful traps.
Today’s pressures and shades of gray make it even easier for followers of Christ to ignore or forget the lessons of the past. Just like the Israelites and Corinthians, we too face temptations that are similar in nature. And no matter how hard we try, we can sometimes fall back into those same sin traps, giving in to what feels right at the moment, instead of making a God-honoring decision that offers eternal rewards. These sins lead to a “worship disorder” which is anything that distracts us from fully worshipping our Creator.
“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are you trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? I have the right to do anything, you say–but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything–but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.”
1 Corinthians 10:21-23
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
The purpose of our lives isn’t to see how much we can get away with and still be Christians; rather, it is to glorify God. The question we need to ask ourselves is, who or what do we worship and what is our motivation? Is it for our own good or the benefit of many, so that they may be saved?
Prayer this with me today, “Heavenly Father, thank you for being our Provider, giving us our daily needs. Reach out to me in those moments when I’m being tested, so I can look to you for strength and guidance. Please give me the courage to say no to the sin that tries to trap me. Grant me the strength to worship you over anything the world has to offer. Help me remember that my body is to glorify you in every area and help others along their journey. Amen”
