He Command, You Trust.

While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the Lord said to him, “Give these instructions to the Israelites: When you have entered the land I am giving you as your inheritance, the land must observe a Sabbath to the Lord every seventh year. For six years you may plant the fields… but during the seventh year… Do not plant your crops or prune your vineyards during the entire year…” (Leviticus 25:1–4NLT, Italic mine) 

The Book of Leviticus (Old Testaments) closes with instructions regarding the conduct of the land. In chapter 25 to 26 especially, God through Moses layouts rules regarding regular periods of rest for the land. In summary, every seventh year (Sabbath year) the land must rest from sowing and reaping, and every fiftieth year marks a Jubilee*, when debts are cancelled and possessions return to their original owners. To provide for both the Sabbath year and the year of Jubilee, God promises to bless in abundance the prior year.

“But you might ask, ‘What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?’ The answer is, ‘I (God) will order my blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a bumper crop, enough to support you for three years.’” (Leviticus 25:20-21)

This is hard. (well… at least for me personally). Would you have the faith to do what God required of Israel? Let’s say that God were to asking you after six years of working (in whatever your do now), you were commanded (not suggested) to leave your work for an entire year… doing nothing but rest… would you have faith to do that? Perhaps you might think about what to eat, how to provide for your family, how to pay your dozen of loans, money won’t be enough… etc. I wonder - do we have the faith to do it?

When God commanded the Israelites to leave their crops unplanted for an entire year, God was asking them to place their source of livelihood completely in His hand. He was teaches them to rely on Him alone, to live by faith and to experience the later thrill watching how He would supply their daily needs. I heard saying, “We live by faith, and faith lives by exercise.” God was reminding the people, especially to us today, who believe that the same God who works wonders, and miracles in the past, the Faithful One saying to us at this moment, “Just trust Me”.

Would you trust Him in the midst of uncertainties? Would you trust Him when the only things that He left are His words?

God assured that when you obey Him, He will follow through on His promises; “Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:6) “And He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” (Matthew 6:33)

When He command, you trust!

Think Big. Start Small. Go Deep.