Obedience

It is always interesting (at least to me) when I come across the same idea several times within a small amount of time. It is usually something that God wants to teach me. This time it was obedience.

God calls us to be obedient. Seems simple enough - but wait, there is more! The first thought is found in 1 Peter 1:14-15 "So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy." You may think that it is impossible to be holy but in all reality, although it is hard, the answer is right there in that verse - be obedient. That is the way to holiness.

That idea is further emphasized in James 4:17 "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." I find that verse kind of harsh, I never considered the fact that if there was something I felt like I should do, and didn't do it, I was sinning. But it makes sense in the context of obedience. We all agree that disobedience is sin, we punish our children when they disobey - why? Because it is wrong. When we know what we ought to do, and don't do it, we are disobeying, which is why it is a sin. If we obey, we are not sinning and therefore are on our way to holiness. This verse applies to all aspects of our lives, from knowing we shouldn't lie or steal, to not sharing Christ with someone, and/or to ignoring God's calling on our life.

Accepting God's calling, or even simply sharing our faith with someone is often times the more difficult form of obedience. In 1 Peter 4:14&19 it says, "So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you... So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you." God knows it is difficult to share our faith. It is something personal that we don't want people to make fun of - and in some countries it is physically dangerous to do so. It doesn't matter. God wants us to obey, and He has told us in Luke 9:60b, "Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God." And really what does it matter what people think or what they do to us? God is with us and has control. Oswald Chambers writes in 'My Utmost for His Highest': "If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything - it is a delight." As Christians we should be happy to do whatever God asks of us, because we love Him, and by obeying Him we reach the goal of being holy.

This has turned into a bit of a sermon - but this is what I am learning, and I wanted to share it with you. I have had several things come up that God is asking me to do, and I have been hesitating, because it involves me going out of my comfort zone. This is probably why God wanted me to learn this lesson. I know it is hard, but I am going to do it, with God's help, because I know I cannot do it on my own.