Welcome to Buoy, a Life in Deeper Water podcast.

Episode 46. God Has the First and Final Say (“the word became flesh” in my life)

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Hello human.

Today, I am taking to heart that the word of God endures forever and just how important that is to me, how important it is to my witness to you, to everyone.

 Isaiah says in Isaiah 40:8:

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

The first thing we know about God begins with Him “speaking” creation into existence:

Genesis 1:1-5:

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

David Inquired of the Lord Again

The idea of God having the first and final word is beautifully illustrated through a simple, straightforward story in David’s life.  This story picks up in 1 Samuel 23 with the Judaen citizens coming to David to update him on the fighting. There was already trust there because David was in Judah, the middle of the action, where God wanted him to be, and that built trust in the Judaens.

Verse

23 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against (Kay-lah) Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” and turned to God for the first word.

2 he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

With God’s word in hand, David was ready to move into battle, but his men were not. They were already afraid for their lives while roaming in Judah, so to fight the Philistines and have their whereabouts exposed to Saul in the same moment felt too risky.

3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

David, at this point, did not ridicule their lack of faith or strength, or love for God’s people in (Kay-lah) Keilah. Instead, David exemplified servant leadership of his men and “inquired of the LORD again” so they could rest on God’s assurance.

He set a great example of returning to God for a final word.

4 Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.

God confirmed His will to David.

David sought out God’s answer twice, at the beginning, and at the end. He opened and closed his decision with God’s direction.

God patiently waits for us to circle back.

This is helpful to how we seek God in our day.

The Word Became Flesh

I am considering that God has the first and final say in my conversations, in my decisions, in my day, and all that falls in between. What I seek out from Him in my first ask is laying out what the conversation would be, what the decision is, how He will help guide my steps; then I go through all the variables, considering the time that I have to have the conversation or lead up to the conversation or to make the decision. Those who I seek out for counsel in between, what my motives are and how they might change during that time. And then weighing earthly gain versus spiritual gain because we know where we want that to land, right?  

What I am working my mental way toward is this question: is that conversation, is that decision, is that day strengthening my witness or is it compromising my witness, remembering that what we’re witnessing about is the power of Jesus in our life—God’s divine persuasion—that’s our witness. Nothing more, nothing less. All God. He gets the first and final word through His Son.

John tells us in the first chapter of John:

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

And in verse 14:

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

Then when Jesus walked the earth, Jesus’ first words to disciples. Repent. Follow me.

Jesus’ last words to disciples.

Matthew 28:19-20

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

Can’t we be guided by the first words of Jesus to his disciples, to repent and follow Him.  And live by His last words: make disciples of all nations, baptize them, teach them to obey. I’m with you always to make sure this happens.

Isn’t that a pretty great rule? A sound spiritual format?

It is important to me to internalize, to hardwire the power of two truths into my faith walk:

One:  the first and last of God’s nature, that he was the word, he had the first word in creating the creation, that Jesus was with Him ,and then Jesus became flesh. He has the last word through his sacrifice, ascension, and return.

Two: 

The power of giving God the “first and final” say: the first word in a conversation, the decision-making process, in our day, tempering our perspective with His spirit.

Then we seek counsel, we navigate timing, we scrutinize our motives and our intent. Our resources.

Then we circle back and give Jesus the last word. As if he is speaking into our life as he did the disciples. As he instructed his disciples, we stay true to our witness of who He is. In our decisions, we do the same. In our days, by this I mean our mornings, our nights. We do the same and through all of that, we are attending to Jesus’ last words to His disciples:  go and make disciples and support them.

One Personal example: I am weighing a decision on a media project that would be a next step for BUOY. I have laid it out before God, marking what the decision is, how I need His help, and asking for His guidance. Now I am seeking counsel with a few people who have expertise in this area. My intent is to reach as many people as possible, but I also have other writing projects that are equally important. Timing-wise, doing this at my halfway point on my witness99 journey would be good timing, because I will have 50 episodes to share immediately. I am monitoring my motive and weighing the spiritual gain for me, and for others. I am weighing it with/against other priorities, other stories still left to tell. And seeking God’s word on it. Like David in Keilah.

In all of this, I am working my way toward God’s last word on this decision. The final say.

That’s one example. In general, I affirm that Jesus will have the:

First and last word of a conversation.

First and last word of a decision.

First and last word of my day.

Sleep. And repeat.

My heart’s intent honors John 1:14, when the word became flesh and sanctified my earthly walk.

Thanks be to the God of Genesis. And to Jesus, who will return for the final word.