Will You Obey?

 

1 Samuel 15:22

“Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed to than the fat of rams.’”

James 2:26

“For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

Matthew 25:21,23

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

This question stems into the main topic of obedience to God of Jesus Christ. I like to clarify at times due to the delusions going around nowadays. However, obedience has been one of the major themes lately in my walk. It has been highlighted specifically to reveal and shed light on what’s missing in the obedience. Under the umbrella of obedience comes faith; the faith to step out on the unfamiliar, the faith to speak on the unpopular, the faith to speak on what God has truly spoken even at the chance of it not being accepted, the faith to just plainly be obedient.

Obedient, in God’s vocabulary, looks a bit different than most. Being obedient to our Father looks crazy because faith at times will look this way. However, what was further highlighted to me was the result. The result of being obedient to God’s pruning, refining, and the process in general reaps a great reward. There’s a burden lifted that you didn’t even know needed to be lifted. There’s a fulfillment from your “yes” that only God can do as a result. To finish God’s work is the best thing you can do.

I wanted to add that the initial reason to being obedient should be to please our Father. There should be a holy fear and reverence for Him that backs up urgency. I do believe in God’s timing, but what is currently being built? Usually, what the Lord gives or what is shown is the finished product. I wanted to also add that the building process can be kept between you and God or between those you trust. I add this because, if you are not yet firm in what God has spoken to you directly, it is easy to get swayed into doing what He did not say. 

Obedience looks like sacrifice. Obedience is sacrifice. Obedience is dying to flesh ie dying to yourself; it looks like taking the narrow path that leads to righteousness that no one wants to take…the road less traveled. This road is less traveled because sometimes it’s doing what you don’t want to do. It’s not always a joy-ride, but the end-result brings about a joy that can only be found in Christ. 

***Lord, thank you for fulfilling your promises over and over again just as the result of our “yes” in action. Lord, we repent for putting off what you continue to show us to do over and over again. Lord, we thank you for being so patient with us. We honor you and we love you for being who you are. You are our Father, our Helper, and our Friend. There is no other god like you. Father, we lay down our own will for you to destroy to replace with yours. Lord, let your will be done in our lives here on earth as it is already completed in heaven. We tear down the altar of self, and we give ourselves to you. Father, allow us to see the good in the process and in the journey even when it hurts. We thank you for building and molding us more and more each day of obedience into the image of Jesus Christ. Our lover and friend, we thank you. In Jesus’ Name—Amen.***