Obedience

Here I go again- another post but not relating to Korea in anyway, well not visiting the country or an activity we have done, but how God is calling me into doing something and I can't dis-obey Him at all!  As you can see He wants me to talk about that nasty word, Obedience. I know we all dislike that word as it can be so hard to be obedient- not just to God but in-regards to anything.


Webster's defines obedience as an act or instance of obeying, the quality or state of being obedient and a sphere of jurisdiction; especially : an ecclesiastical or sometimes secular dominion. I have some issues understanding the last definition and really like what my Bible says better:   submissiveness to authority, following orders. That definition is easier to understand but being obedient isn't an easy task!


 I first thought of this topic while I was sitting outside waiting for Zane to get home from school. I was watching the cars zip up and down the street, some of them going much faster than they needed to be moving. I was thinking to myself what would happen if the drivers of Korea and probably America and other places, actually followed the rules of the road. Even more so what would happen if the police, especially in Korea, actually installed the rules of the road. Maybe drivers would slow down, traffic accidents wouldn't happen. We don't know what would happen but wouldn't it be nice if folks just followed the rules of the road because they wanted to be OBEDIENT and do the right thing. 


This hit me again this morning while ready Z his devotional for the day. It talked about listening and following directions given to a child by his parents. That they, the little ones, can learn from their mother and father. Now I know everyone doesn't have kids but let me tell you Zane is very strong-willed and hard-headed, look at his parents! He is very good at choosing to not listen and follow directions because he thinks he can do what he wants or that he doesn't have too. We talked about how listening to mommy and daddy is very important and that it is even more important to listen to God. Yes-earlier I said choose to listen. I truly believe that we do choose to hear what we want when we want. I am sure some of my former students will attest to that one!


Proverbs 6:20- Keep your father's commands. Don't forget your mother's teaching.


That verse says a lot. And I looked at it to not just mean my Earthly father but even more so my Heavenly Father. 


Well here I am choosing to listen to God and do what He is asking of me. He is asking me to start sharing my experiences, maybe in hopes of someone else coming to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior or for those who have known me awhile to see He got a hold of me and isn't letting go and you know what, I am not going to let go either.  Last week I gave it all to God and told him that I would start getting up at 0600 to take the dog out, it is getting really chilly at 0600, and have my quiet time. I even thought I might get a work-out in but not yet, Zane and early morning snuggles are so much better! Well last week I didn't get up at 0600 when the alarm went off but that might have been due to the fact that I was up with Zane a lot through the night. The past two mornings I have gotten up without an alarm. As a matter of fact it hasn't gone off, God is remembering my promise and holding me to it! I haven't been tired, my days don't seem hectic and I am seeking Him more than I have before.. Getting up before the boys and having time with God has really calmed down the mornings and other than a 4 year old wanting to listen to directions, things are going smoothly.


In becoming more intimate with God I am also becoming more obedient to Him. I am hearing Him more than before and even clearer. There are so many verses in the Bible that tell us to obey the Word of God and His commands, I don't know where to begin but I will give you a few to ponder over.

Proverbs 19:16 "He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die,"

Acts 5:29 "Peter and the other apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than men!"

Luke 11:28 "He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Romans 1:5 "Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith."

Romans 2:13 "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous."

Romans 5:19 "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous."

James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves, do what it says."

This might not all make sense but I am doing what God as asked me to do and that is sharing. Am I always obedient to God, no I am not. I make mistakes but I do ask for forgiveness of my sins thanks to the blood that was shed by Jesus Christ. I will continue to make mistakes along the way but I am a work in progress. I am learning that when I follow God's word and do what He asks that it is much easier to do and that the rewards outweigh the outcome!

God bless,

Liz