Have you ever told someone they are stubborn?  Maybe someone has said that about you.  I’m sure that all of us have had a conversation or two along these lines from time to time.  Most of the time when we hear that word it carries with it a memory of negativity.  But have you ever thought that being stubborn can be a good thing?  This week and next we are going to discuss these two sides of stubbornness. 

While I was reading chapter nine of Deuteronomy a statement Moses made in verse 27 caught my eye.   It reads: “Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look on the stubbornness of this people, or on their wickedness or their sin”.   Notice that God calls stubbornness against Him wickedness.  Let’s refresh our memory of this situation.  Moses was interceding for the Israelites because they had made a golden calf to worship while he had been on the mountain with God.  Because of their wickedness God was going to destroy them and Moses was asking God to “not look on their stubbornness, but to remember His servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”   Those two requests jumped out at me; (1) to not look on their stubbornness and (2) to remember. 

Have you ever had to deal with someone whom you thought was just down-right stubborn and unreasonable in their opinion or intent?  Perhaps you’ve been accused of such an attitude, or is it just me that’s experienced such a conversation?

Now think about this, if God could look upon their stubbornness of heart and hate it (the stubbornness), then don’t you think that we could have the same problem when we look at the stubbornness of other?  Moses prayed and asked God to forgive them and reminded God of His purpose and plan for His children; so shouldn’t we follow his example and pray and intercede for one another?  Yes, indeed we should.

So let’s not be discouraged about ourselves in not doing what we think we should be doing; or discouraged about others who seem to not do what we think they should be doing.  Let’s intercede and pray to God for help, and not just complain to God about the situation.  However please note that if we are only telling God about what is going on, and keep telling him, and keep telling Him, then we have fallen into complaining instead of praying.  If we see that we are complaining, we need to re-evaluate our praying.  To make sure we are praying not complaining, we need to be speaking forth what the Bible says about the situation, reminding God of what He has said, and believing what He has said.  We need to find scripture verses that relate to and cover the situation and pray it into being.  We need to remember to keep the love of God fresh in our hearts.

Deuteronomy 9: 29 points out very clearly that even though the Israelites were stubborn; Moses reminded God that they were still His people.  So we need to remember that even though others, or ourselves seem stubborn at times, we are still His people, His children and He still loves us.  God never forsakes us or leaves us (Hebrews 13:5).  And Jesus is ever interceding for us as the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  Remember, God is well able to complete the good work He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6).

So let’s remember to not become weary in well-doing, not become weary in praying.  Let’s keep our eyes on the Word of God and what He says.  Let’s not look upon the stubbornness of the heart of others or ourself and become discouraged, but DO REMEMBER that when we behold the mirror of the Word of God we are transformed into His image from glory to glory.  (Romans 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 3:19).