The Honeymoon Warning

(Written by Julie’s husband, Steve)

“It’ll be different in ten years!”  The words rang out above the sound of the Florida surf.  It was the summer of 1980 and Julie and I were enjoying our honeymoon.  Walking hand-in-hand we strolled along on the sand laughing and enjoying the early evening.  A middle-aged woman driving her pick-up truck on the beach flung the warning at us as she passed.

We got the point.  Her words predicted that the realities of life may well take their toll and eventually erode the love we felt for each other.

Perhaps she was just playing the odds.  Or maybe she had learned from bitter personal experience.  Her words stuck with us though, becoming a catalyst for many serious discussions and numerous jokes between us as the decades have gone by.

God had a prediction for the people of Israel after he brought them out of Egypt.  In Exodus 19:5-6, he presented his vision to Moses and the people, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant…you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

A priest is a God-worshiper who represents God to the people and represents the people to God.  Levi was called to be the priestly tribe for Israel.  They offered sacrifices, tended to the Tabernacle, and instructed the people in the way of godliness.  But in God’s vision, the whole nation would also serve as representatives of God to the world.  As they learned to love him deeply and depend upon him for everything, they would grow into the role of priests, capable of bringing light to the surrounding nations and leading them back to God.

In the years that followed the exodus, Israel failed to live up to that vision.

That would have been a tragic end to the story, but God reinforced his desire in Isaiah 61:6 when he promised that Israel “will be called the priests of the LORD” in Christ’s future kingdom.  He further described in Ezekiel the reason he will ultimately redeem and renew Israel.

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.  I will show the holiness of my great name…Then the nations will know that I am the LORD…when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.'” (Ezekiel 36:22-23, NIV)

God would not be thwarted by Israel.  Her failures could not bring down his ultimate design.  What they would not do during the centuries of Old Testament history, God will make happen in the end.

Thinking about Israel’s intended role and our context in the 21st century, there is a noticeable parallel.  God states in the second chapter of Peter’s first letter that the Church also serves as a “holy priesthood.”  And what would our primary purpose be in that role?  The passage goes on to say that we are “to declare the praises of him who has called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

It is a sobering thought. God wants to work through us to achieve his purposes.  How can I become the “priest” he wants me to be?  Of the many things one could talk about in answering that question, let me suggest three.

First, priests have a different perspective.  We, too, are instructed to set our mind on things above, not on earthly things.  The old was traded in when we received new life.  Christ should be the dominant subject of our thoughts, not our own plans. Our citizenship is now in heaven–both our present and future wrapped up with Christ.

Second, we need to recognize that being an effective priest means drawing boundaries in our lives. Priests were “set apart” for their work. We are called to be set apart (“holy”) just as God is set apart.  When we fail, the sin that entangles us must be brought to God in prayer so that we can experience his love and forgiveness again and be cleansed of sin’s effects.

Third, a priest’s focus is on the needs of the people.  It is surprisingly difficult to ignore self consistently in order to have a ministry-focus. No longer should we view and evaluate events like Sunday worship based on what we get out of them.  As priests, we are called to be active participants and should prepare ourselves ahead of time to get heart and mind tuned so we can give him our best worship.  On Sunday, and in all day-to-day circumstances, we should be praying and looking for opportunities to express through our actions toward others the love and forgiveness we have received from God.

It is a marvel of God’s grace that he not only redeems men and women, but also chooses to use them to show his power and glory to the rest of humanity.  It is a high calling and worth the effort.  With these steps as the foundation, we can develop into a more effective priest that God can use to impact others.

Character growth occurs because we give it deliberate attention and usually results are seen over a period of time.  The warning shouted by the woman on that Florida beach came true.  It was different for us in ten years.  Life brought us many twists and turns, but instead of eroding our love, it drove us closer together and deeper in love.  Taking on the role and mindset of a priest can transform how we go about our lives.  You may not see dramatic change in your life month by month as you pursue God; however, rest assured there will be a difference as you look back over the years.