We all have wants and we all have needs. It is fine to satisfy some (but not all) of our wants, but there are times when wants need to be set aside in order to receive what we need. This is no more true than when it comes to hearing the truth. Sometimes truth hurts, but just like the pain of the needle that shoots a necessary antibiotic into the body to fight off sickness and disease, even more important is the taking in of truth that will ward off the sickness of the soul that could cause spiritual death and eternal separation from God.
Note something God told His prophet Isaiah to write down as a witness to His people. We read. . .
“(8) And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever. (9) For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; (10) who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, (11) leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”” (Isaiah 30:8-11 ESV)
What a sad state for the people of God; unwilling to listen to what they needed to hear! They were telling the prophets what they wanted, and it appears there were prophets who delivered it. There were warnings they needed to heed! However, instead of listening to the message God gave Isaiah to deliver, they listened to those who preached a more pleasing message, thus rejecting the truth that could have spared them the conflict with Assyria and other captivity to come.
Note the preacher the people desired during the time of Micah where we read. . .
“(6) “Do not preach” — thus they preach — “one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.” . . . . “(11) If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people!” (Micah 2:6 & 11 ESV)
A preacher (or prophet) who would fill them with what they wanted. “Ya, that’s what we want! That’s the preacher for us?” Is it? What kind of teachers do we desire? To what kind of preachers do we want to listen? If we could pick our preacher, what would he preach? Do we want one who will let us write the sermons? Do we desire “smorgasbord religion”; that which would let us pick and choose what will satisfy our taste? How much benefit do we think we could possibly receive from such?
I fear there will always be those who will only go where they hear what they want and there will always be preachers who will supply what meets that desire. We need to guard against becoming intoxicated by the smooth talk of those who would preach only what we want to hear rather than what we need. It is to our advantage to face the discomfort and accept the truth we need to hear. May hearing and heeding the truth remain our heart’s desire!
Have a great day FINDING GAIN IN THE PAIN OF NEEDED LESSONS!
Carl
