I recently heard of a family friend that was experiencing a host of medical problems. He was, like maybe many of you today, searching for the root of health problems. Find the problem, fix the ailment, sweet and simple. His doctor thought he had found the problem but would not offer 100% certainty. The caveat was that the doctor’s recommended treatment required quite a complicated surgery, which he didn’t want to do. And after myself having gone through quite the surgery debacle, I could fully understand. I mean why go through the pain, agony, and recovery of surgery if not certain it will cure the problem? He told the doctor, thanks for your diagnosis but I would like to get a second opinion.
This phrase has worked it’s way into our culture, permeating into a multitude of realms, meaning and logic. The idea that the information that lies before us is so unappealing that we will continue to look for additional information that might indeed be better. The logic that there is indeed better, more appealing options out there that will be better for us. We just need to go find that “better deal.”
But consider this hypothetical. A person goes to the doctor to seek treatment and after a gaggle of tests and exams the doctor says, “The exams and x-rays clearly show you have a tumor. I’m 100% certain you need to have immediate surgery to remove it or you will die.” But the person out of fear, confusion, and apprehension, says they wants to seek a second opinion. Their mind and emotions just cannot process this news, so they seek another opinion that might just be a little better. They will start shopping for better news. They're not looking for better facts but the results they want. Folks, you might think that this little story sounds silly, but I’d like you to ponder a question. When God speaks a command into your life that you don’t care for, do you do the same thing? If you don’t like God’s request, do you shop for a second opinion?
We see in 1 Samuel 28 today, just such a scenario. Recall the activities of Saul back in 1 Samuel 15. He had been given a crystal clear command from God. Go defeat the Amalekites and kill everything. But when Samuel showed up, he could hardly hear Saul’s excuses over the noise of the animals he had kept for himself. Direct disobedience to the Lord. And of course this is on the heels of Saul’s disobedience to God’s Law where He offered his own sacrifice on the altar. (1 Sam 13:8-15) Saul’s continued disobedience to God was displaying the true contents of his heart. And God would be forced to deal with it.
“And Samuel said to him, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.” 1 Sam 15:23b, 27
Ouch. God’s verdict is clear and it cuts Saul like a shiny new knife. He rejects Saul and the kingdom will soon belong to David. Not great news for Saul. In fact, Saul doesn’t care for the news at all. I guess you could say he was in clinical denial. He begs Samuel to “pardon his sin” and just make everything ok again. He begs God to “undo” what he said and did. Like a child begging to not be spanked for their wrongs, Saul is not repenting, but begging for his disobedience to simply be reversed.
Today we see Saul take it a step further. He continues to cry out to God, trying to change God’s mind. The answer is silence. God has rejected Saul just as Saul has rejected God and the result is severed communication. But Saul wants a second opinion. So he goes to a spiritist. A necromancer. A witch. A woman that claims she can talk to the dead. Saul in his desperation is seeking a second opinion from anyone that can offer one. In this case from satan himself. You see, our dire desperation can drive us to seek second opinions in some pretty dark places.
God is constantly at work on us. And rightfully so. Since we are born with a sin nature that is in rebellion to God, we need a lot of work. As the years of walking with Christ stretch on, His requests form an inward spiral. Our Christian journey starts with Him asking us to dump smaller sin on the outside edges, but as that spiral gets closer to who we really are, the sin is more ingrained. It’s tougher to let go of. And as God gets to the tough stuff, eventually He will make a request that we just don’t like. And as result, we squirm. We will try to wiggle out of the command. We will make excuses and we will embrace avoidance. Let’s be honest, some of our sin has been around so long, it’s really part of who we are. To think of life a different way is scary, foreign and uncomfortable. But as we can only see a life with sin always present, God sees a life that can soar with out the shackles of sin.
So as God makes these “unrealistic” requests and demands of us or gives us instructions that seem impossible, we can start looking for that second opinion. We can start shopping for other ways. We start desperately looking for an easier softer way. There has to be one, right? But let’s pause and examine the Word of God. The instructions of God. The commands of God. What He asks of us in this life. Do they change? Can we alter them a bit to be more palatable? Can others help us find a back door to them? Let’s visit some scripture.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matt 24:35
“But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:25
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8
Folks, God’s Word is forever. His Word is perfect. It never changes and it never fades. The Words that God speaks to us are truth and perfection. You can seek a better way, but it doesn’t exist. You can look for an easier way, but it doesn’t exist. You can look for someone to tell you something different, but it won’t be the Words God spoke to you. To be truly obedient to God is to be truly obedient to His Words. Some commands might be easy for you and some might be like pulling teeth. But in true obedience they all must be adhered to.
Today, don’t go shopping for second opinions to God’s Word in your life. Study His Word, listen to His voice and simply follow in obedience. He and He alone will give you the strength, tenacity, and perseverance to claim the victory over the challenges your obedience will bring. For when you are weak in the struggle, His strength will then be truly shown.
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. “ 2 Cor 12:9
God bless you in your obedience to Christ.
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