Loyalty VII

The Lord sits enthroned 

 - From Psalm 29

The 29th Psalm lists reasons to be loyal to God. A lot of time is spent describing His Voice - - - it's thunderous, world-shaking impact. But then we're reminded of the good things God will do for us - He will feed us, take care of us, protect us, 

But even though resistance to God is certain death, and loyalty to Him is certain eternal happiness and life . . . still people (most of us) will resist Him. Loyalty is not something we want to do. There's no good reason for us to reject others, especially those that will provide good things to us, and to ours. 

We don't want to be loyal to someone. Another person might eventually require something of us, that we don't want to do. Our generation of infinite choices, especially, is loathe to promise anything to anybody. We might need something . . . something that feels good, for instance; and for whatever reason, that person to whom we might be loyal will suggest otherwise. We'd rather not be beholden to anybody; and we don't want to limit our choices by being loyal. 

It drives our voting behavior. We will vote for whomever makes us feel good; even if it creates friction between us and others. 

But God demonstrates a built-in commitment to loyalty. The evidence is there - the case is made: Follow Him. Commit to Him and be loyal to Him.

Loyalty, well-placed, is a good thing. And loyalty simplifies everything for us. 

Good parents are loyal to their kids. If my choice, this Friday night, is to either go on a date with some new friend, or to go to the home football game, where my daughter is the drum major, I choose my daughter. The decision is easy. I have let loyalty make it for me. 

We do not consider loyalty to be much of a criterion for anything. When we vote, we want to feel good - - - we want to be "on the right side of history," or to be on the "cool" side of things. We want to be noticed by certain people. 

And loyalty to God may get in the way of those transitory, good feelings. It becomes easy to drop the idea of loyalty to people. The values of our forbears may easily be dismissed, if they do not align with what makes us feel good, today.

Loyalty is not a concept that can co-exist in a world based on feelings.