“You are proud because you live in a rock fortress
and make your home high in the mountains.
‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully.
Don’t fool yourselves!”
Obadiah 1:3 NLT
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In one of the tv series I used to watch, there was an episode where the main characters had her hair done and ended up making a significant series of comical errors due to the over-confidence it brought her. She’s even warned by one of her roommates to beware the results a Blowout (trendy term for professional salon hairstyling service) can have on her personal life.
Fortunately, that is not something that is in my budget right now so I don’t have to beware THAT danger… but there are things in my life that I should really slap a “beware” sticker on.
- Successfully completing my To Do List every day
- Fitting all my meetings into one day
- Losing five pounds
- Getting a job
The funny thing about this list is it’s not that the items on the list are bad, it’s my tendency to draw security from them that makes them dangerous.
Obadiah – a prophet and namesake of the shortest book in the Old Testament – really packs a punch in his one chapter book about this. He shares God’s message with the people of Edom, who became over-confident and started to bully the Israelites. They had made it a priority to live among the mountains and felt invincible as a result. But, this good decision should have come with a “beware.” Good decisions still don’t make a person invincible. Mountains can still crumble, as can we. They let their security go to their heads and ended up hearing from God about it:
“You are proud because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountians. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully. Don’t fool yourselves! Though you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Obadiah 1:3-4 NLT)
Living in the rock fortress of “Going to Church Every Sunday” isn’t going to save me if Monday through Friday isn’t a walk of faith. The mountain of “I Can Fit Into My Wedding Dress Again” is beautiful and strong, but it shouldn’t be the reason I take care of my body. When I let myself make the same mistakes as the Edomites – putting confidence in the blessings, rather than the Blesser – I just end up spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. And, sometimes the people I love get hurt in the process!
If I really want to infuse true, lasting confidence into my life, it shouldn’t come from my pants size, social media following, or how well my kids behave in public. True confidence can only come from spending time getting to know the one who made me. And here’s the BEWARE for that:
BEWARE… it could change your eternal life.
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Dear Lord, Thank you so much for being my rock fortress! Forgive me for trying to get my confidence from my successes in life, my appearance or anything else. I want to spend time with you each day so that I can hear YOUR calling in my heart, rather than the voice of this world. Help me focus on this today. Amen.
Congratulations on your new job. Surprisingly, with this accomplishment, the rest of your bucket list will emerse within and you will succeed in your mission!
Thank you so much! God’s definitely got a plan, that’s for sure!
Hello,
Truly, I was edified and heard the Spirit of God within this commentary. Your inspired words rounded out my day and were comforting.
Wendy
Thanks, Wendy!! Hope your day today is blessed!!!
Hello Emily,
As promised, I read Obadiah. Thank you for bringing it to my attention, you are truly a blessing. I relate fully to your commentary, but I will digress a little and share the meaning I received when I read Obadiah. Esau was the first born but was supplanted by Jacob for the birthright of his father Isaac. We are all born with our sinful natures in tow. When we accept Christ in our hearts, we are re-born, supplanting our sinful natures with a nature which walks with God, our Father. Obadiah promised this long before Jesus was introduced to the earth. Sin cannot hide in the mountain. Victory is assured. What do you think, Emily?
YES!!! I love the little peaks that God gave people so long ago of the awesomeness that was promised for them. It gives me hope on the days that I don’t see that victory so clearly. It reminds me that faith is believing in something that stretches beyond my human understanding. Thanks for reading Obadiah with me, Wendy!!