OBEDIENCE BRINGS JOY

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he
will make your paths straight.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

MEDITATION:
People often associate the word ‘obey’ with raising children
(especially when they see ill-behaved youngsters). Submission
to God’s will, however, is important at every stage during a
believer’s spiritual maturity.

As our faith grows, obedience becomes a cornerstone of fellowship
with our Father – He teaches us more about His love and precepts
while drawing us ever closer to Himself.

Oddly, as Christians get older and more mature, their obedience
can diminish. A believer may tell himself or herself that they have
learned to live righteously and therefore no longer need to make a
concentrated effort to obey. In a short time, they will find themselves
far off the path God intended, wandering around with a pile of rags
they think are righteous acts.
    “All of us have become like one who is unclean,
     and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
     we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind
     our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)

Disobedience says to the Lord,
    “I know better than You how to govern my life.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. God
wants our ‘dependence’, and not our ‘independence’.

Sometimes He may introduce some things into our lives to remind us
that we are becoming less dependent and more independent. He does
this because He loves us and wants what is best for us. How much more
loving could He be? He cares that much for us! We can read in God’s
Word (and hear testimonies from other believers) how God has provided
joy to those who have obediently submitted to His will.

Nothing good can come from rebelling against the Lord, and nothing
bad can come from obeying Him. Obedience is the pathway to wisdom
and blessings. What we are talking about is – total obedience. Obedience
is not a smorgasbord where we can choose the areas where we will obey
and other ones where we will not.

For instance, some may choose not to steal but ignore the Lord’s
command to use the spiritual gift He has given them to use in
serving Him. Someone may choose not to commit murder, but
ignore God’s command to honor their parents.

When we conform our will to God’s, we place our hope and trust
in the One who created us and loves us without condition. A life
well lived is one in which our eyes are focused on the Lord, our
ears are open to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit, and our hearts
feast on Scripture.

ACTION:
When we choose the existence mentioned above, we guarantee
ourselves of the finest that God has to offer. There is no second
best for the obedient child of the Father. In what areas are you
failing to be obedient? Are you becoming more, or less dependent
on the Lord?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me of the areas I have
not surrendered to Your will. Forgive me for any
efforts to be independent and less dependent on
You. Help me to refocus so that I will become
more obedient to You and Your ways.”

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