I’m all for accountability

Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
For God will bring every deed into judgement,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Yesterday we looked at how important it is to TRUST AND OBEY. And today we see the reason why. One of the reasons why. I say one of the reasons, because I don’t what this reason to be my motivation to trust and obey. My motivation is that God’s way is most definitely the best way and leads directly to a healthier, happier, more motivated life.

But this reason is really important too. This is all about being accountable to God for every decision we make, every word we say, every action we take. Everything will have its consequence – in this world or the next. I’m not going to get hung up on that happens after we die. Because we just don’t know. How can any of us possibly know for sure? I am choosing to trust that God is love and God knows what He is doing. And as for consequences in this life – some of those are pretty obvious, aren’t they? The choices we make have repercussions.

I think accountability is fair enough. I’m all for it. Accountability to God, that is. When people get involved and decide to take it upon themselves to judge us, it can turn into a bit of a witch hunt, can’t it? But sometimes I see people getting away with things and I am glad that everyone is accountable to God and that they will have to answer to God for what they have done. And it’s only fair that if they have to answer to God for what they’ve done, then I have to answer to God for what I have done. As I said, I am choosing to trust that God is love and God knows what He is doing. To trust that God will be fair. That God will take into account all the mitigating circumstances. God sees everything and knows everything and can take everything into consideration in a way that no human judge ever can. No human judge ever knows the whole story. I can trust God to judge me fairly more than I can trust any human who takes it upon themselves to judge me.

Of course, sometimes it is good to be accountable to others too. I came across someone the other day who has an accountability partner. Someone she trusts to tell her if she’s getting it wrong. Someone she can come to in a dilemma and ask for advice. Someone who understands the complexity of her role. Someone she can share all her decisions with before acting on them.

Because without accountability, sometimes we can get carried away. We can get over-confident and make poor decisions. We need people in our lives who we can trust to speak into our lives when necessary.

Anyway, back to Ecclesiastes 12:14. It’s the very last verse of the whole book, you know. Pretty important then, I’d say. In the book, the Teacher has been living life to the full – enjoying the food and the drink that we have worked for. Savouring the moment. Living in the knowledge that life is short and every moment counts. And in all of that, we have to have in the back of our minds that there are consequences of our choices – we have to resist getting carried away, resist the temptations of over-indulgence. This isn’t the whole ‘Eat, drink and merry’ mentality that parties all the time. There is a discipline here – a responsibility to live well by choosing the right food and drink, to embrace healthy living, to give 100% to everything that we do. And why? Because we will be held accountable for our choices. There will be consequences. All that is hidden that we think/hope no one will ever see will be brought out into the light.

Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.  Ecclesiastes 12:14 (The Message)

I love that God can search my heart and bring out into the open what needs dealing with. Because life is short and I want to get it as right as I can. I love that we sing this Prayer of Preparation regularly in church –

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Because yes, all hearts are open to God. All desires are known. No secrets can be hidden from Him.

And who wouldn’t want to perfectly love their Maker? Who wouldn’t want to worthily magnify His holy name?

So yes, go ahead. Shine a light in those dark corners. Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit.

And I am not afraid because I am choosing to trust that God is love and God knows what He is doing.

And I am choosing to obey because I 100% believe that God’s way is the best way.

And yes, isn’t that a great place to end a book and to finish off the month?

TO DO: Pray that prayer of preparation – however you want to. Speak it aloud; sing it; write it out in different coloured pens; meditate on it…whatever works for you.