To Drink or Not to Drink

I was raised Mormon. Unfortunately, when I was entering high school, my mother decided that if I was not going to enter the Celestial Kingdom, it was no use developing a relationship with me. Before it came to this point, I had some major problems with the religion.

Over time, I developed one fundamental difference. Salvation through works. Versus salvation through grace. My core belief now is that we cannot work our way into heaven. It is only by grace that we are saved. It is then through unfailing love associated with this salvation that we have no choice but to be filled, transformed and sanctified, therefore producing righteousness. As humans, what spills out of us, only mimics what is poured into us. Quite simple.

My hatred for the religion stemmed many debates and internal turmoil. So much so that it caused a lot of wreckage in my own life. Then, one day, I read about the woman at the well. A woman, filled with adultery in her life, is confronted. A woman, who I myself identify with. It is as if, in the midst of my turmoil, I ask, "Which is the truth? What is taught here or what is taught there?" Jesus replies, "Believe me, a time is coming when you will be so lost in your ways it will not matter."

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Those confronted and paralyzed by other's decisions, focused on things outside of their control. Those are destined to be brought to their knees as life has a way of doing. Eventually, I decided that I had enough on my plate to focus on, enough problems and challenges within my own realm, that I no longer had the capability to judge others decisions. Eventually, I found myself reading Jeremiah 35.

35 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: 2 “Go to the Rekabitefamily and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.” 3 So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the whole family of the Rekabites.4 I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. 5 Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.” 6 But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab[a] son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. 7 Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.’ 8 We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine 9 or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invadedthis land, we said, ‘Come, we must go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian[b] and Aramean armies.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.” 12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 13 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the Lord. 14 ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me. 15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened to me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefathergave them, but these people have not obeyed me.’ 17 “Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.’” 18 Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what theLord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ 19 Therefore this is what the LordAlmighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.’”

Those who do not know any better. Who simply follow the will of their ancestors. They will be blessed and protected. Even though they do not know the Lord, they are still protected. What else can one do, but the best they know to do? And how many of us don't even do what we know is best to do?