Created to Create
“Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” Exodus 24:7
What an interesting verse to consider, both in placement and in word choice. The placement is interesting because it comes in Exodus 24, just before the instructions to build the Tabernacle in the wilderness in Exodus 25. “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them” Exodus 25:8. Consider that the dwelling presence of the Lord comes AFTER a committed heart of surrender and willful obedience. God got His people to a place of surrendered obedience, and then His presence dwelt with them. In these NT times in which we live, our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19), and we are to not grieve the Spirit through disobedience (Eph 4:30) or quench the Spirit in suppressing His fire and failing to act on His inspiration (1 Thess 5:19); therefore, we are to be daily living in accordance with His ways, laying down our lives, bearing our cross, pursuing perfection, being filled according to the Word, abiding, and thereby inviting His very near presence to dwell. God is omnipresent, but He dwells in prepared places.
What’s also interesting, though, is to consider the profound reasons for obedience. I would posit there are three:
ONE, we’re obedient because He’s worthy. To bow in holy submission to an Almighty Creator God who eternally exists outside of time and space is the only logical thing to do. “What is man that you are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8). Much more can be expounded on this, but for now, we’ll pause there.
TWO, we’re obedient “so that it may go well with you” as is repeated all throughout Deuteronomy. 'So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you…’ (Deut 4:40); ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you…’ (5:16); ‘You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you…’ (6:18); ‘You shall not eat it, so that it may be well with you..’ (12:25); ‘Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you…’ (12:28). All is for God’s glory, and by His grace, for our good too. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7). He’s not just the Almighty, but Abba (Romans 8:15). His love is perfect (1 John 4:18) and His will is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:2).
THREE, we’re obedient because we’re God’s appointed change agent on earth and we are created with responsibility (Genesis 2:5), and He ACTUALLY CHOOSES TO USE US for His kingdom purposes. We’re created to create. Let’s look at one attribute of this as it relates to Exodus 24:7, and note the words italicized for emphasis: “Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken WE WILL DO, and we will be obedient!” When the people proclaim “all that the Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will be obedient!”, the phrase “we will do” as written in the original Hebrew language is a single word ‘Asah’. ‘Asah’ means ‘to do, make’, and it’s interesting to note that it is also the word God used in the Creation account of Genesis 1.
• “God ‘made’ (asah) the expanse...” (Genesis 1:7)
• “God ‘made’ (asah) the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night.” (Genesis 1:16)
• “God ‘made’ (asah) the beasts of the earth.” (Genesis 1:25)
• “Let Us ‘make’ (asah) man in Our image.” (Genesis 1:26)
• “God saw all that He had ‘made’ (asah) and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
Let us consider that the people’s proclamation of obedience has a potential deeper meaning than obedience for the sake of obedience alone; the word ‘asah’ implies the creation and making of things. The thought worth pondering is when we say ‘yes’ to obedience, we’re also saying ‘yes’ to His creative power flowing in and through us. We’re saying ‘yes’ to building His kingdom on earth. ‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done’ in every single act of obedience. I think we’re often far too limiting of God in disbelieving how miraculously He works through what we perceive to be the most simple, mundane, and seemingly meaningless. Everything matters exponentially and eternally in the economy of an almighty God who exists outside of time and space. Ultimately, obedience is not square and burdensome as the world might lead us to believe; rather, obedience is the most adventurous and eternally significant path we can walk in this brief life we live. Maybe it’s time to renew our celebration of discipline, and maybe it’s time we wake up and live lives in the adventurous enthusiasm of “ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL DO, AND WE WILL BE OBEDIENT!”
“OUR FATHER which art in heaven, HALLOWED be thy name. THY KINGDOM come. THY WILL be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9)
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (Romans 12:1)
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthian 16:13
