JESUS SPEAKING
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?” (Mathew Chapter 12: 1-4.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
God created the universe in six days. On the seventh day He rested. Mankind was commanded to follow His example. Every seventh day was a day of rest; a day on which no work was to be done; a day of fellowship with family and friends; a time to pray and remember the blessings of God. During the time of Christ, the religious leaders were Zealot’s. They believed it was their duty to enforce God’s laws; they were blinded by their rigid traditionalism, and unable to see the numerous situations that warranted breaking the fourth commandment (the Sabbath law) — for example, if a man’s donkey fell in to a well on the Sabbath, he was required to work to save it’s life (to allow the animal to die would be evil.) They accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath; he responded by quoting an Old Testament scripture. When King Saul sought to kill David, David fled with a handful of soldiers. Wearied and hungry, David and his companions entered a temple and ate the showbread from the altar (a bread strictly reserved for the priests.) To survive he did what was not lawful; yet God did not condemn him. Providing for those in need is the greatest of all of the commandments; it supersedes every other law.
One day a woman asked me an important question. She said, “I was recently offered a part-time job working on Saturday and Sunday. I really need the money, but I don’t want to break the Sabbath by working. What should I do?” I asked her if the job was necessary for her to survival. She indicated that the additional income was needed to pay her rent and to buy food. I told her that when David was hungry he broke the law and ate the showbread from the Altar. God didn’t fault him for doing what was necessary to survive; he would not fault her either. In unique circumstances, breaking the law is necessary to fulfill the law of love. Unfortunately there are still some who refuse to see any divine exceptions. God commanded his followers to refrain from drinking blood. The blood from every animal needed to be drained before it could be butchered. Today, in order to save lives, it is possible to perform blood transfusions. One religious organization known as the J-hova’s witnesses, have adamantly opposed these procedures; believing them to be a direct violation of God’s law to refrain from consuming blood; as a result, many of their followers have needlessly died. Human need and the preservation of life are God’s greatest concerns [Warning: God does not condone situational ethics. Stealing is always wrong; as is laziness and adultery; there is never a situation where drunkenness is necessary; nor will circumstances ever require fornication, lewdness, or idolatry.]
The Lord is a compassionate and understanding Father; He is the giver of divine wisdom and discernment. Although His laws are supreme and unflinching, His will is not always rigid and legalistic. Extreme human need often necessitates exceptions; wisdom concerning such times, can only come from God. We must never presume to know His heart; instead we must continually pray for direction. May we always seek His will in every situation; may compassion be our guide and understanding our best friend; and may we never forget that the law of love is the greatest law of all.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we ask for Your wisdom. Give us understanding, and fill our hearts with kindness. Your laws are without error; yet we realize that You desire to provide for those in need; in so doing, You are not overly zealous; You make exceptions where they are needed. May we recognize these circumstances as we minister to others. Without condoning evil, may we reveal Your grace and compassion to the world. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name; Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 