Obedience ~ Words Worth Remembering Week #11

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands.

As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love.

                                                                                                                          2 John 1:6

From a very young age we are taught to obey. Before we can talk or ask, “why” we are taught what is right and wrong. But as we mature we begin to question why we need to obey, a sort of  “what’s in it for me?” attitude. Today’s verse shows us that obedience is a form of love. As children of earthly parents we obey because it pleases our parents and shows our love for them, even if we don’t understand why they are asking us to obey. Obedience to God is the same.

Oswald Chambers wrote:

There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain. We control what we are able to explain, consequently it is only natural to seek an explanation for everything. It is not natural to obey, yet it is not necessarily sinful to disobey. There can be no real disobedience, nor any moral value in obedience, unless a person recognizes the higher authority of the one giving the orders…A person is simply a slave for obeying, unless his obedience is the recognition of a holy God.

God did not intend for us to be slaves to His laws. He asks us to obey because we love Him and recognize Him as the leader of our lives. It is not always easy, and we won’t always understand. But when we know God is asking for our obedience we must step forward in love to Him and to others around us.

Tomorrow we begin what is recognized in Christian churches as Holy Week, the week we remember the days leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus’ entire life was lived out of obedience and love for His Father God. All that Jesus did during His earthly life was done to show God’s love to those around Him, and through Scriptures even to us today.

There is no greater example of obedience through love than this week of Jesus’ life. Through the ups & downs, the people and places we can learn so much through each step of His obedience.

Sometimes the week before a big holiday can be crazy and chaotic. We see that at Christmas, and also now that Easter is just a week away. It can be easy to lose the impact of Jesus’ gift to us at Easter when we focus on the activities and preparation.

This week I will be posting a devotion here each morning. I pray that they will help to focus your day and encourage you to cherish the incredible gift that Christ gave us on the cross.

blessings and peace to you today!
Paula