Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
Luke 10:13-37
Psalm 75:1-10
Proverbs 12:12-14
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
It's easy to confuse consequence with cause, and to focus on the wrong thing. Our two boys are swimmers, and they like winning races - the consequence. We try and focus them on the cause: "leaving it all in the pool" - doing their best whenever they are in the water, in a race or in practice. We have to remind them race results are simply byproducts, and what's important is the effort they make. Not an easy lesson to learn - they like winning.
The disciples confused consequence with cause as well. And they celebrated consequence, not cause. You can almost hear them: "Whoa! I cast out a demon!" "Oh yeah? Well I cast out five! Who gets to sit next to Jesus now?" This is why Jesus had to remind them what was important: not what they could do, but who they were - blessed, their names written in heaven.
As we wait to celebrate Easter, remembering our Lord's resurrection, and as we reflect on all that we have been blessed with on earth, it would be good to remember that all this is the consequence. We celebrate because not only are our names written in heaven, we have a place before our God as His sons and daughters. Cause, not consequence.
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