“And the people said to Joshua, ‘The Lord our God we will serve and His voice we will obey.’” Joshua 24:24

Simple Obedience

My heart wrestled over a loved one who walked with God, but also walked in disobedience. I prayed for her, asking that her heart would treasure God above culture and convenience. Here are some thoughts on obedience. I hope they will encourage you to keep on pursuing God in faithful obedience.

Obedience brings blessing. God’s blessing is already given. “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…” (2 Peter 1:3). Perhaps we should stop asking God for what He has already given and just thank Him. We need only to take hold of the manifold blessings of God by a faith that evidences itself in our obedience.

Holy obedience is driven by love. Do we obey out of duty or obligation? Do we obey out of fear or intimidation? Are the consequences of disobedience just too costly? Obedience implies trust—even if you don’t understand, even if it is uncomfortable, or inconvenient. This is the holy obedience God is looking for. It is an obedience of reverence and glad submission that trusts His heart, His wisdom, and His fierce love for us.

Obedience has far reaching consequences. Celestial creatures obey God in heaven. Yet one day Satan made a prideful, self-absorbed attempt to usurp the position and preeminence of God. That dark choice to no longer obey God still echoes in humanity.

What we do affects our family, friends, church, community and most importantly, our relationship with God. And if we live a life of worldly pursuit, abusive behavior, and ungodly passion, if we are critical and unloving, will it not be to the detriment of others? Your obedience matters more than you may know.

Obedience is a life and death matter. Philippians.2:8 reads, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” He has set life and death before us, dying that we may live eternally. There is no other remedy if we neglect so great a salvation.

Our obedience reveals what we really believe about God. Matthew 7:21 says, “Not everyone that says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Obedience is the proof of faith and the evidence of love. If this is all mere religion, you may feel you can pick and choose, reason out why this or that does not apply to you, but if He is Who He said He is, then how can you refuse Him? And if you do refuse Him, you have revealed the unbelief of your own heart.

Is it possible to love God and continue to walk in disobedience? Live with your boyfriend? Enjoy that one-night stand? Or maybe it is more subtle than that. Maybe it’s that someone you just can’t forgive or that anger that lashes out to hurt others or that secret sin no one knows about. Jesus is asking you, why do you call me Lord and not do the things I say?

If you continue to disobey, His work in you and through you will fade. He cannot use a disobedient vessel. His purposes will be fulfilled, but the loss to you will be immeasurable. Begin again and allow Him to forgive you and restore you. Simply obey.

Father, we have known Your love and we will fully trust You. We believe enough to obey. Amen.