Proverbs 19:15-16

¹⁵Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry. ¹⁶Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

Sturgeon Fish

I have one wish. I wish that one day I can catch and reel sturgeon fish. Sturgeon fish is believed to be ancient and prehistoric that existed during the Jurassic period of dinosaurs. As of today, it’s prohibited to take home sturgeon fish. So if ever I catch sturgeon fish, I’ve got to release it.

Why is it prohibited to take home after catching sturgeon fish? This is to regulate the population of sturgeon fish. Many years ago, there were no regulations about fishing, and sturgeons were delicacies. Sturgeons are slow to reproduce, and over fishing caused sturgeons to almost extinction.

Regulations about fishing are implemented and saved the extinction of sturgeon fish and other exotic fish. Keeping the laws of the land is useful for the benefits of citizens. Similarly, keeping the commandment of God is actually favorable because the Lord blesses the obedient believers.

Reflect on his prayer in Daniel 9:4, ⁴I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Prophet Daniel served as official in a foreign land under 4 kings. That is more or less 67 years. How could an exile shine in a foreign land? Daniel trusted God and kept his commandments. He has practically proven that God kept his covenant of love with him because he loved God and kept his commandments. Love for God is exhibited by keeping his commands.

Surely, hard work is essential to excellence and wealth. But there are many people around the world who work double jobs but still cannot excel or prosper, why. How should we explain what it declares in 1 Samuel 2:7?

⁷The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

God decides if he wants us to get rich or not yet. Of course, religious or not, anyone aspires to prosper, but the Lord grants what is best for us. Even Christians would spend their money and indulge themselves in luxurious pleasure. God may not prohibit that but prodigal expenditure may not be appropriate testimony for Christians. What do you think?

Certainly, it’s smart to invest finances for eternal treasure. We should diligently prepare for the day of Christ’s arrival and avoid spiritual laziness.

1. Laziness

                                 ¹⁵Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.

Do lazy people mind of lost opportunities? Would they rather sleep than explore great chances for productivity? Great opportunities for better life experiences is presented to anyone. But certainly, idleness can miss it. In comparison, those who don’t wait for handouts actively try opportunities to make their aspiration come true. They don’t wait for fair weather.

Fair weather is preferred for leisure expenditure. Think about it. What do we plan for summer activity? Normally, we want to relax. We want to go gallivanting. We want to travel somewhere. We want to enjoy life. In winter, retirees who have money travel to tropical places to enjoy fair weather.

We’ve got to find ways to make our plan for leisure happen. Leisure does not always promise great life experiences. Travelling is fun. But there are bad elements in the society who victimized naïve travelers. So can we be sure of our safety, especially when we travel to foreign places?

Ezra

Reflect on what Ezra did for safe travel to Jerusalem in Ezra 8:21-23. ²¹There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. ²²I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” ²³So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

King Artaxerxes decreed that any Israelite in Persia who volunteer to return to Jerusalem may go with Ezra. They also carried with them 24 tons of silver, 3.4 tons of silver articles, 3.4 tons of gold, 19 pounds of gold articles, polished bronze as precious as gold for temple use in Jerusalem.

Certainly, since it was a decree from the king, their travel and many precious things they carried were not secret. Everyone knew their itinerary. Bad elements who may take advantage of them along the way heard about it. Let’s reflect on what it narrated in Ezra 8:31-32, ³¹On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. ³²So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.

There are many unpredicted circumstances than may happen in any situation. We pray for safe driving, good health, good governance and great economy. I believe that God keeps us safe until his mission purposes for us are accomplished. We pray for his glory, that we explore adventurous life.

2. Life

                                 ¹⁶Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,

                             but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

What kind life do you prefer? Most people may choose luxurious life. Luxurious life is about material abundance. There are stories of people who were born in wealthy family but cannot enjoy life for whatever reason like health, relationship, or personal choices. Material abundance is preferable but cannot provide the best life ever. Politicians who have so much money can be living in prison. Rich people are also targets of kidnappers.

How should we appreciate what it declares in Ecclesiastes 2:26?

²⁶To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. 

It would be much better to have wisdom, knowledge and happiness because God can make anyone rich if it is to accomplish his purposes. Our ideology, philosophy or principle of life, could it lead where we should be?

Ben-hur

Have you heard of the fictional story of Ben-hur? You may wish to watch it online. Part of this fictional story features Ben-hur and his friend Messala. They became enemies because of their contrasting ideologies.

Messala and Ben-Hur found themselves competing in a chariot race.

Messala schemed to destroy Ben-Hur, but it backfired. Messala was trampled by horses around the track. Ben-Hur rode to a glorious victory.

Rules and regulations in any sport event are instructions designed to protect competitors from possible dangers and benefit those who would abide. Similarly, the commands of God are designed for protection and betterment of those who obey him. When we obey his commands, we may come to internalize that commands of God were intended to bless us.

Let’s reflect on 1 John 2:3-4, ³We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. ⁴Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

Be prayerful to diligently read the Scripture to discover much of God’s commands. The commands of God are his instructions to uncover blessing he prepared for anyone who obey them. We pray to be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to specifically understand which practical step we should take to keep his commandments and be blessed eventually.

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