Just Obey
I look back on my childhood and I know that I wasn’t the perfect child when it comes to obedience. I tried things that were outside the boundaries that were set for me. I ignored the instruction of my parents and grandparents on occasion. For the most part, I was an obedient kid growing up. The consequences of disobedience were sometimes quite painful. Sometimes the consequences of disobedience were “the board of education applied to the seat of understanding”. At other times the consequences of my stupidity and ignorance was punishment enough.
The Lord is speaking through Moses to urge obedience as they go on this final part of their conquest. He puts some weight to obedience that is still relevant today. Check this out…
1“And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.
5 “Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. 6 Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ (Deuteronomy 4:1-2,5-6 NLT)
Obedience is at the heart of my relationship with God. Obedience screams out my respect for Him just like my disobedience screams out disrespect. It’s one thing to “say” that I believe in God, it’s a whole different level to walk in obedience to Him.
I believe that my journey with the Lord is grounded upon a foundation of obedience. If I’m not going to follow His instructions for my life, I can’t really call myself His kid. I can’t really call Him “My Abba” (my Father) if I ignore His instructions and directions for my life.
I’d rather obey the instructions of the Lord and look like a “Jesus Freak” than to be perceived as a fair-weather follower of the Lord who is a good man with good values. My values and my good name are given by the Lord because of my obedience.
Each time I choose obedience over rebellion, my resolve for obedience and faithfulness to the Lord gets stronger. I believe my simple obedience to the Lord speaks louder than any song I can sing or prayer I can pray. Obedience speaks clearly about my surrendered heart to the Lord.
Pressing On!
Dwayne