Sabbath Lesson

Today’s lesson is a lesson I somewhat touched on a few years ago, which is pictured below.

The first paragraph briefly mentions Jeremiah 2:13 which the Scripture in its entirety reads; “For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me; the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns- broken cisterns that can hold no water.” As implied, a cistern is a receptacle used for holding water or to collect rainwater. A broken cistern to hold water, as God declared the Israelites used, only wasted their time and kept the Israelites in a never-ending cycle.

You may be wondering why the Israelites, or anyone, would participate in such fruitless acts, but much like in today’s society, people were desperate to feel accomplished and prosperous within a short period of time and without putting in any real work, effort, or preparation. However, God loves us too much to just reign down blessings and positions in which we’re unprepared. Like some of us, the Israelites thought acquiring God’s blessings and discovering His purpose was too much of a long and drawn-out process. Because of this, the Israelites started looking to other gods and for quicker and easier methods. However, they didn’t realize; their blessings were locked up in the process. It is during the process, that God equips us for the internal and physical work, strength, and fortitude required for the next level in our lives. In the end, God does leave it up to us to listen and put in the work. Let’s take Queen Esther in the book of Esther as an example. Before she even got a chance to go before the King, Esther had to undergo months and months of outward work; multiple beauty regimens and the internal work of facing her fears and insecurities that I’m sure she had as being an orphan with both parents deceased and living as a minority in a land with people of a different background. Also, as part of her internal work, Esther partook in many confidential counseling sessions with Hegai; the custodian of women in the king’s palace and with her cousin Mordecai of whom she was eventually even scolded by as well. By the time, God completed the work in her through these men, Esther not only looked the part; like a true potential Queen that could’ve easily been mistaken for being born royalty in the land, but also was fully prepared for the ultimate mission (which she was unaware of at the time) of saving her people; the Jews, from a decree to have them all killed because although they lived in the land of Shushan, they didn’t live by the laws of Shushan, instead choosing only to obey God’s laws, which became a huge problem for some of the residents there.

Now, let’s imagine if Queen Esther was like so many of us in being slow, lazy, and inattentive to the guidelines set forth by those God sent to help mold us into shape. Imagine how unprepared Esther would have been on the day she met the King and how many people she would have failed and eventually let die on her watch. Imagine how she would have been scrambling to even be fit to sit among royalty, let alone be viewed, as royal. Let me be the first to tell you, royalty knows royalty and can spot a fraud a mile away. Imagine how worn out she would’ve been from having to squeeze in a year’s worth of lessons in a week or days’ time because she didn’t follow them in the interval God originally laid them out. Imagine the worry, fatigue, stress, feelings of inadequacy, and hopelessness she would have experienced being in the presence of greatness yet not knowing protocol or what to do. If any of these feelings sound familiar to you, it’s because without the proper preparation, we too, become like the Jews with broken cisterns trying to make our own way and success. We say “fake it until you make it” to the unprepared, but what is this false “making it” if you feel tired, weary, and empty all the time because everything you’re doing or investing yourself in is leaking right back out with little to no return likened unto the broken cisterns?

Queen Esther’s story is one of success because she took seriously the counsel of the God-sent men and put in the work. God is giving us much simpler tasks, yet we are pouting, delaying, and downright refusing to follow the Holy Spirit’s instruction. Some of us have been on the same level for years on end which is why you see people picking up bad habits to help deal with the consequences of their own laziness and/or disobedience. Today, choose to take heed and follow the advice and counsel of the holy men, women, and Spirit that God has placed in your life to help train you. God wants you to return to Him; the fountain of living waters and stop trying to make your own way; it’s rigged, and your broken methods will only amount to little or nothing. He says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Despite popular opinion, the Lord says, “my yoke is easy and My burden (what I require of you) is light (Matthew 11:28-30). His word says, “you did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit (all that you do (labor) and invest in) should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” (John 15:16).

Happy Sabbath,

Karen

This Week’s Follow up scriptures:

Psalm 144: 1

John 15 (entirety)

Proverbs 8: 14-21

James 5:5

Pslalms127: 1-2

Proverbs 10:4

Proverbs 12: 1-3

Proverbs 16: 25-26