Striving to learn and walk out the commandments of the Father, obeying the Fourth Commandment (remembering the Sabbath), celebrating His wonderful Feasts, avoiding eating unclean animals and truly live according to the whole Bible will cost a sojourner much. This one will look like a fool. And not really to the world so much, but moreso to the average Believer that claims to follow the same "God" that you do. To the many that you used to walk alongside, arm in arm.
Although I've been a boundary-pusher for quite some time, in all of my years of merely flowing along the surface of the current of popular Christian belief, I never knew of such cost. Even now, nearing twenty years later, I look back and see that by comparison, our early stages of journeying out of popular belief and leaving “organized religion” were an easy place to fit in.
There is surely no shortage of people that stay perpetually "disgruntled with religion." But doctrines didn’t really matter. No one seems capable of maturely disagreeing, so you just go with the flow. Just keep your beliefs to yourself and find a few like-minded ones to walk with or just go it alone. Don’t buck the system too much and you’ll be just fine. It's easy really.
But this? This is different. This is narrow. Few find this and even less are willing to even discuss venturing out onto this unfamiliar path. Friends and family look at you funny, presuming that they know you from a youtube video that some random stranger made. But most seldom, if ever, ask a single question, but instead issue warnings and distance themselves further and further. Next thing you know, your closest ones have nothing to talk about anymore, spiritually. You're just "different" now. Deemed dangerous even, to some.
Sadly, from here on, many are only seen in the rearview mirror of my life, through tear-filled eyes. My intent is in no way intended to be leaving, but rather moving. Me and my household have to move. We have no choice. Moving forward as a People of Yahweh, set apart unto His ancient purposes that we’re told repeatedly are for a thousand generations of His People. Repenting. Laying aside our wills, our ways. Throwing off doctrines and ways of men and embracing His. Burning up all that we have held dear, when it is revealed as error. But again, this is costly and not many will walk here.
Here’s the great mystery as we journey along, in hopes that this is all worth it. Worth the consistent heartache of the many relationships that are simply not what I wish that they were. As the numbers of travelers decrease unto this land that is yet before us, the familial relationships that develop, though much fewer in number, are….. different. Very different. Identity is key with these ones. You can spot a man, a family, of Yahweh. You can discern ones that “get” the whole picture.
You find an odd level of unity with those that tie on tassels to remember Yahweh's commands and can talk about the Bible for eight hours straight! You gather at every moment, in the middle of a day, to pray. Not because it's time to in a meeting but because it's like breathing. Your heart rejoices when you cry with a couple that you just met because Father's heart for them is being formed into words that exit your own mouth. You see order. You see purpose and intentional instruction in their home.
These ones have had the revelation that we do not have to choose between “law” or “grace”. These see Yeshua’s function. These are one’s that understand, in some measure, the vast Gospel plan that did not show up in the New Testament. These are one’s that remember what we were commanded to. One’s that are awaiting a better country, yet finding the joy in the practicing and rehearsing for it in the here and now.
Marked, holy, set apart People do marked, holy, set apart things. And these “things” do today what they always have. They identify a People. Yahweh’s People.
So, today, in the hurting of my heart towards those that I love that may never ask us one question about our journey of sanctification into the image of our Messiah, I rejoice. I rejoice in the wonderful blessing of the few. The few who are willing to daily confess that we’re all ignorant and in need of a Teacher. The few that join into the excitement of showing up for Yahweh’s incredible Appointed Times. The few that are also counting the cost of throwing down the nets of our lives in order to follow the Rabbi Yeshua.
New Jerusalem, a City for Yahweh’s set apart People will one day descend. A world where Yahweh Himself will be the sufficient Light of the entire new heaven and new earth is coming! Our gaze is set upon Him. He is good and His ways are perfect. Perhaps, in His kindness and goodness, we will be found walking in them so that we might become His treasured Possession on that day. Our goal is to endure to the end and thereby be saved, rescued and delivered.
Until then, we will walk in the likeness of our Messiah, empowered by Holy Spirit to “walk in Yahweh’s statutes, keeping His judgments and doing them.” (Ezekiel chapter 23) It will all be worth it. Amen. - J
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