Obedience
I’m a mother and one of the things that my kids can do that bothers me most is direct disobedience. When I know I’ve made myself clear and they choose to ignore or defy my command it troubles me and there are usually consequences for them. If I’ve been unclear about my expectations in a new situation, I’m much more lenient.
God expects obedience out of us, and He has made His expectations abundantly clear.
There are times we may feel God is calling us to do something we don’t want to do. We may feel like we are justified in choosing our own way and see the good that we may be able to accomplish. If it is not what God has commanded though, He does not view it as good. We can clearly see this in
While God prefers our obedience over our sacrifice, sometimes our obedience is to sacrifice. God tested Abraham to see if He would be obedient in sacrificing Isaac and we know that Jesus was obedient to God the father even unto death. Paul shares the importance of following Christ’s example in obedience in his letter to the Philippians. Christ is a part of the trinity, and yet even He humbled himself and was obedient to the will of God the father.
Just as Noah’s obedience saved his family and mankind from death, Jesus’s obedience brings eternal life!
How does this relate to us today? It can be hard for my children to hear my voice if they’re far away from me. It’s easy for them to tune me out when they’re busy and distracted by the things they want to do. But when they’re near me and actively listening, it’s easy for them to hear and understand the words I share. They may still choose disobedience- merely hearing my voice does not guarantee following instruction.
In my faith it’s the same way. When I’m spending time with God and seeking to hear Him, I usually can. But if I’m walking away from Him or allowing myself to get caught up in the cares of this world, those can distract me from listening and hearing. If I am not studying the Book of Instruction that God has blessed us with, I will not know His Truth in order to obey it. There have been a lot of people asking us if we’re scared about what our obedience may bring. Honestly, I’d rather be stepping out into the unknown in obedience than running away from God’s call as Jonah did.
In our journey of faith, God has called us to obey Him one step at a time. It didn’t feel overwhelming when Tommy started taking classes at a Bible college in Tallahassee while he worked. As we have stepped out in obedience, we’ve seen God direct the next steps and also orchestrate other opportunities to glorify Him!
We do not know what may come out of our obedience. It could bring blessings in this life, but it could also bring suffering. When we felt called to missions there were some areas we weren’t interested in going to. I remember Tommy saying he wasn’t interested in going to areas of high trafficking, places without running water or electricity or anywhere in the Middle East. Despite our initial reservations in going to the Middle East, we have felt strongly that that is where God is calling us and He has transformed our hearts and renewed our minds! No matter what may come, we plan on serving as to the Lord and not to man. It also means death to self. The things we want for ourselves may not be God’s plan for us.
Obedience to God is not a drudgery though. There is much joy and peace found in walking in obedience! Eleven years ago we would have never pictured ourselves in Clarkston- and certainly not going to Lebanon! We had plans of settling down near family to start a family. Even though this isn’t what we’d planned, God knew His plans for us and we were obedient in following His desires for us rather than the desires we had for ourselves. It has been exciting to be a part of what God is doing and see how God uses us through our obedience. We have loved walking in obedience as we’ve shared the Gospel in Clarkston!
We don’t have much to offer besides ourselves. And yet, that’s what we’ve found has drawn people in. We’ve given up some of our own comforts to reach out and live among the resettled refugees and that has spoken volumes to them. God has allowed us to connect in a way that shows His love in a very real way to our neighbors. Because we’ve lived among them, we know the needs they have. Sometimes we can physically help, other times we pray with them. Both have been graciously accepted. Just as the parable of the talents, I have found that when I’m obedient God increases the opportunities!
We do not know what life in Lebanon will bring. In many regards Lebanon is safer than other Middle Eastern nations, but we realize it will not be without risks. Still, God has made it clear to us that He is calling our family to go and serve there, and so we will obey. We cannot be obedient in this call without a body of believers coming beside us and supporting us in going. Our obedience to go depends on the sacrificial giving of others.
Obedience for you does not look like obedience to me. Adam and Eve were told not to eat an apple, Noah was told to make a boat, Jonah was told to tell the people in Nineveh God’s message, Christ was called to be the sacrificial Lamb for us. Tommy and I were called to serve refugees in Clarkston and to welcome the stranger in order to prepare ourselves and others to go to make disciples of all nations. While you may or may not be called to go, God does call each of us to proclaim His gospel and make disciples. The way we carry that out does look different for each of us. We can’t go without a body of believers sending us and God has placed different people in your lives that He expects you to be a light to and share His love with.
How is God calling you to obey Him today? Is He calling you to go? Is He calling you to give? Are you loving Him and others in the way He has commanded?
God expects obedience out of us, and He has made His expectations abundantly clear.
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.^8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (Jos 1:7-8 NLT)We read in Joshua 1:8-9 to study and know His word… that we might obey it. God does not expect us to follow instructions known only to Him. We see this throughout scripture from the very beginning. Adam and Eve weren’t full of rage or anger, they weren’t slanderous, they didn’t commit sexual sin or murder. God had been clear in His command to them. And yet, they disobeyed. They brought death to us all through their disobedience. Ten generations later we see the deliverance that comes out of obedience to God. More than once we are told that Noah did everything as the Lord commanded Him. God gave Him clear instructions- the ark didn’t make sense to those not listening and not walking with the Lord, but Noah knew God’s voice and obeyed saving his family and mankind.
There are times we may feel God is calling us to do something we don’t want to do. We may feel like we are justified in choosing our own way and see the good that we may be able to accomplish. If it is not what God has commanded though, He does not view it as good. We can clearly see this in
1 Samuel 15:22-23: 22 But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
While God prefers our obedience over our sacrifice, sometimes our obedience is to sacrifice. God tested Abraham to see if He would be obedient in sacrificing Isaac and we know that Jesus was obedient to God the father even unto death. Paul shares the importance of following Christ’s example in obedience in his letter to the Philippians. Christ is a part of the trinity, and yet even He humbled himself and was obedient to the will of God the father.
Just as Noah’s obedience saved his family and mankind from death, Jesus’s obedience brings eternal life!
How does this relate to us today? It can be hard for my children to hear my voice if they’re far away from me. It’s easy for them to tune me out when they’re busy and distracted by the things they want to do. But when they’re near me and actively listening, it’s easy for them to hear and understand the words I share. They may still choose disobedience- merely hearing my voice does not guarantee following instruction.
In my faith it’s the same way. When I’m spending time with God and seeking to hear Him, I usually can. But if I’m walking away from Him or allowing myself to get caught up in the cares of this world, those can distract me from listening and hearing. If I am not studying the Book of Instruction that God has blessed us with, I will not know His Truth in order to obey it. There have been a lot of people asking us if we’re scared about what our obedience may bring. Honestly, I’d rather be stepping out into the unknown in obedience than running away from God’s call as Jonah did.
In our journey of faith, God has called us to obey Him one step at a time. It didn’t feel overwhelming when Tommy started taking classes at a Bible college in Tallahassee while he worked. As we have stepped out in obedience, we’ve seen God direct the next steps and also orchestrate other opportunities to glorify Him!
We do not know what may come out of our obedience. It could bring blessings in this life, but it could also bring suffering. When we felt called to missions there were some areas we weren’t interested in going to. I remember Tommy saying he wasn’t interested in going to areas of high trafficking, places without running water or electricity or anywhere in the Middle East. Despite our initial reservations in going to the Middle East, we have felt strongly that that is where God is calling us and He has transformed our hearts and renewed our minds! No matter what may come, we plan on serving as to the Lord and not to man. It also means death to self. The things we want for ourselves may not be God’s plan for us.
Obedience to God is not a drudgery though. There is much joy and peace found in walking in obedience! Eleven years ago we would have never pictured ourselves in Clarkston- and certainly not going to Lebanon! We had plans of settling down near family to start a family. Even though this isn’t what we’d planned, God knew His plans for us and we were obedient in following His desires for us rather than the desires we had for ourselves. It has been exciting to be a part of what God is doing and see how God uses us through our obedience. We have loved walking in obedience as we’ve shared the Gospel in Clarkston!
We don’t have much to offer besides ourselves. And yet, that’s what we’ve found has drawn people in. We’ve given up some of our own comforts to reach out and live among the resettled refugees and that has spoken volumes to them. God has allowed us to connect in a way that shows His love in a very real way to our neighbors. Because we’ve lived among them, we know the needs they have. Sometimes we can physically help, other times we pray with them. Both have been graciously accepted. Just as the parable of the talents, I have found that when I’m obedient God increases the opportunities!
We do not know what life in Lebanon will bring. In many regards Lebanon is safer than other Middle Eastern nations, but we realize it will not be without risks. Still, God has made it clear to us that He is calling our family to go and serve there, and so we will obey. We cannot be obedient in this call without a body of believers coming beside us and supporting us in going. Our obedience to go depends on the sacrificial giving of others.
Obedience for you does not look like obedience to me. Adam and Eve were told not to eat an apple, Noah was told to make a boat, Jonah was told to tell the people in Nineveh God’s message, Christ was called to be the sacrificial Lamb for us. Tommy and I were called to serve refugees in Clarkston and to welcome the stranger in order to prepare ourselves and others to go to make disciples of all nations. While you may or may not be called to go, God does call each of us to proclaim His gospel and make disciples. The way we carry that out does look different for each of us. We can’t go without a body of believers sending us and God has placed different people in your lives that He expects you to be a light to and share His love with.
5 And now I ask you, not as writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. (2Jo 1:5-6 NAS)If you are not hearing God’s voice calling you to obedience, examine yourself- are you actively listening? Are you studying God’s word continually and obeying what is written in it? Are you loving God with all your soul and have you been obedient in the past to what He’s called you to?
How is God calling you to obey Him today? Is He calling you to go? Is He calling you to give? Are you loving Him and others in the way He has commanded?
5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul." (Jos 22:5 NLT)
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