DEVOTION: The decptiveness of Rebellion

An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11 NKJV

Three-year old Jade knows how cute she is. She thinks that by flashing a cute smile she can get away with anything. For the first year of her life her mother, in an effort to raise her daughter to eat healthily, never gave her any processed sugar - no sweets, no chocolate or biscuits. Nothing. One day Jade and her mother, Miriam went over to visit Jade’s aunt Della. Della, although older than Miriam had no children, so even though she knew that Miriam forbade processed sugar, went overboard stocking her home with all the goodies that she thought a child would love to indulge in. She bought cup cakes and cookies and ice cream.

Not surprisingly, Miriam rejected everything that was offered to her child and pulled out a Ziploc baggie filled with cut up pieces of fruit.

As sisters are wont to do it wasn’t long before they got chatting away and didn’t notice for at least 10 minutes that little Jade was out of sight and rather quiet. They found her in the dining room clutching a half eaten chocolate chip cookie, with chocolate smears all over her face. Miriam was horrified, but before she could say anything, Jade instinctively looked at her aunty and gave her the most beatific smile and Della’s heart melted. Della apologised to her sister and reached for Jade, as she tried to placate Miriam. She told Miriam that nothing would happen just because her daughter had eaten a couple of cookies.

Hours later Della got a call from an irate Miriam telling her that her baby was climbing up the walls and for the first time had missed her strict bedtime. Della and Jade’s disregard of Miriam’s rules had a real, albeit small in the grand scheme of things, consequence.

Thousands of years ago Pharaoh was deceived by his own rebellion against God, believing, even in the face of plague after plague, that he could withstand God. One minute he was imploring Moses to petition God to remove a plague and the next he defiantly went back on his word to let the people of Israel go. In Exodus 10:28 he had the audacity to say “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more!” He truly believed that he, not God, was in control. The consequence of his rebellion was the death of the first born of all in his kingdom, and the death of Pharaoh himself and his entire army. His paid gravely for his rebellion.

Thank God for the blood of Jesus that brings salvation to all men and for grace, mercy and forgiveness. Even so Galatians 6: 7 tells us, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” May our lives be hospitable to the Holy Spirit and may we be ever sensitive to His leading, recognising, hating and fleeing ever form of sin and rebellion, understanding the great price that Christ paid. May we never, by His grace, take His forgiveness for granted. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Ufuoma Daniella Ojo is a Software Training Manager/Senior Technical Author. She lives in Potters Bar just outside London. She is editing her manuscript and working on a story set in Nigeria, and is trusting God for connections leading to publication.