City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

If God didn’t think twice about taking pruning shears to the natural branches, why would he hesitate over you? He wouldn’t give it a second thought. Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God—ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot. But don’t presume on this gentleness. The moment you become deadwood, it’s game over.

–Romans 11:21-22 (MSG)

So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.

–John 15:4 (TPT)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who had died when they [irreverently] approached the presence of the Lord.

–Leviticus 16:1 (AMP)

Aisha’s Analysis

What today’s verses show us is that the attitude in which we approach God carries weight and is very serious. It would be a grave mistake to presume on God’s gentle kindness. As C.S. Lewis illustrated in the Chronicles of Narnia series, “Who am I that I could make Aslan appear at my bidding? He’s not a tame lion.”

If God is not a “tame lion” so to speak, that means He ought to be approached with humble and holy adoration. In life, it would benefit us greatly to remember who is God and who is His creation. 

Leviticus 16:1 states that Aaron’s sons died when they irreverently approached the presence of the Lord. They brought an offering to the Lord that was unauthorized. In other words, they disobeyed God. 

The scripture from Romans describes how God has grafted us together with Him like a tree. We can stay alive and continue to experience His gentle kindness by maintaining our connection with Him. However, if we willingly harden ourselves to His commands and continuously disobey Him, we will be cut off. 

While it may seem a bit jarring to consider the consequences of hardening ourselves to God, what is absolutely miraculous and astounding is that a holy and all-powerful God is deeply committed to us and that there even is a way to stay connected to Him. 

Aaron’s sons died because they deviated from God’s way. Instead of treasuring the amazing responsibility God had given them, they treated it casually. Sin results in death, and it should not surprise us when it does. 

Thankfully, our God has conquered the grave. As deadly as the consequences of sin are, God’s grace is greater still. God’s faithful love endures forever and is triumphantly displayed in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Let Him be praised forever. 

Application

Take this moment to deeply consider the ways in which you might have hardened yourself to God. Be ruthless about eliminating attitudes that diminish the magnitude of who God is in your life. 

By His grace, we can’t live life just any kind of way. We are to live in steady life-union with our Lord. He has transformed us into His own children. Therefore, we can be holy just as He is holy (See 1 Peter 1:15-16). 

Prayer

Father God, thank You so incredibly much for making a way for me to be united with You in a holy life-union forever. Without Jesus, that would not be possible. I receive Your amazing grace, and trust You to guide me along Your perfect way. In Jesus’ name, amen.