JUST - CEAI

JUST
April 9, 2018

Prayer: Oh Lord, please help me not get distracted today. Please show me when I am making excuses for not obeying quickly and fully. I love You. Amen.

Scripture: So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong [your] days in the land which you will possess. Deuteronomy 5:32-33 NAS

There are several definitions for the word “just.” Hebrew and Greek definitions used in the Bible were:

1. Lawful, righteous, correct

2. Whole, complete, full

3. To be justified or have just cause

4. Innocent, faultless, guiltless

We have been made just – (guiltless, innocent) by the blood of Jesus. We are to act justly – (lawful, righteous, correct). Today’s verse tells us to do just as God commanded – (nothing more, nothing less – completely and immediately.)

Today, we have added other meanings such as “slightly,” “merely” and “in a moment or so.” I first became aware of this “just” listening to children who were given instructions and did not follow them completely or in a timely manner. For example they were told “Do not talk.” When they were caught talking, they said they were “just asking a question,” “just finishing a conversation” or “just borrowing a pencil.”

Somehow they thought they had “just cause” to disobey or felt they were not disobeying at all because it was only a little bit. When told to go do something, and I found them off playing, they were not disobeying, they were “just playing with the dog.” They of course meant, “I was on my way but I chose to do this first.”

I became even more attuned to this “just” listening to adults try to “justify” themselves. “It was just one night.” “I was just giving them a taste of their own medicine.” “I was just thinking about it, I would never actually go through with it.” Have you ever heard yourself say, “I was just finishing this;” “I was just waiting for that;” or “I just stopped to check my mail.”

Has God given you instructions and somehow – just like our students – you “just” had to do something else first. Lack of obedience is disobedience; not following directions “just” as we received them is disobedience. We must not add or take away from; we must not hesitate or get distracted. My prayer for you this week is that you would “Just do it!”