Obedience

For some of us, the word Obedience doesn't always sound warm and fuzzy, but rather something uncomfortable to talk about. It may be due to the picture and understanding we have of obedience, as well as our past experiences growing up. What consequences did you have to face when not being obedient? Or was there maybe a reward attached to being obedient, to motivate you to live according to the standards and morals set?

When we read the Bible, it is quite interesting to see how Jesus views obedience, and it might be a whole different perspective on what our understanding of it might be.

In Romans 6:17, Paul tells us that being obedient to God isn’t merely a decision you make, but that it is truly a change that comes from the posture of your heart. Knowing that you do not obey as a slave would who has no choice, but rather as a child who, out of love, wants to obey his Father. And that is what Jesus states when He said, "Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me."(John 14:21)

For years, people have tried to obey God by bringing sacrifices and “doing” the right thing, while He was looking for pure obedience - being, rather than doing. "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)

But there is definitely a part of obedience that gives us the opportunity to take the next step for ourselves. James put it this way, saying that we shouldn’t merely listen to the word, and so deceive ourselves, but rather we should do what it says (James 1:22). He highlights that true faith requires active obedience, comparing someone who hears but doesn't obey to someone who forgets their reflection in a mirror.

When I read this verse, I can’t help but think of a mother asking her child to help pack away the dishes, and then seeing the child listen attentively, maybe even agreeing to help, but then never putting words into action and doing what was expected. As Luke says, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."(Luke 11:28)

Growing up, I remember having a lot of questions in my head about whether I am living out the purpose that God intended for me, or maybe sometimes I even wondered what legacy we would leave behind as a family or me as an individual. Don’t get me wrong, all of those questions are good and push us toward conversation with the Lord on where He wants to lead us and what He wants us to do. But at the end of the day, when we just obey His word and do what it says, we will automatically fulfill both our purpose and our legacy, because we will walk in the way that God is asking us to walk in.

And in a world where we are continuously trying to figure out what our destiny is, it actually comes down to this:

You will ultimately fulfil your destiny when you are obedient to God’s will for your life. Your destiny is about doing His will, for His glory.

Our perspective needs to shift from it being all about us to it being all about Him. “Lord, how can I be obedient to you today by using my gifts and talents to bring honor and glory to your name? Lord, help me to obey your call and nudges when you want me to be your representation of love for others today.”

So when life happens, which it will, and obstacles come or disappointments or hard decisions, we can turn our perspective to Him in prayer and ask Him to help us stay obedient and listen and see what He wants us to do next. It’s ultimately our purest form of surrender to obey His voice.

I love how Jennie Allen puts it: rather than focusing so hard on trying to balance your life, just focus on obedience and surrender, and it will automatically be balanced out. Because when we listen to His voice and obey it, it will never be to rush us into something or to feel we’ve got too much going on. We will learn to say no and yes to what He wants us to do and what He knows we will have the capacity for.

Apart from going back to the drawing board, one would have to look at Jesus, who is the ultimate example of what true obedience looks like. That even He chose to humble himself, “by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross". (Philippians 2:8)

It was that act of obedience from Jesus that enabled us to have an open relationship with our Father and Creator.

"For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." Romans 6:16

God the Father always has a plan with our obedience; let’s not rob ourselves of the opportunity to build trust and practice pure surrender as we obey His Word and His call in our daily lives.

Anything Better (Live) - Paul & Hannah McClure, feat. ‪Leeland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kIkkKqM_BY&list=RD5kIkkKqM_BY&start_radio=1)