Obedience

My sister once told me that God was a gentleman. He was never going to force you to do anything. God gives us free-will. It’s freedom. Even if we don’t choice him, he will ALWAYS choose us. Do you realize how amazing that is? When we don’t deserve it God will still be there waiting for us.

Over the past week I have had obedience in my mind and heart. I figured that I should talk about it. When it comes to obedience I don’t know how I perform. It’s something that I have had to check myself on. I think I’m OK, but there is room for improvement. The word obedience has such a harsh tone. It makes it seem like God is a God that will release his wrath if we don’t do as he pleases. At least that’s what it sounded like to me. However, that’s not the case. I have a question for you? How do you view your relationship with God? Is it a relationship where you call on him when you lack something? Is it a one sided relationship? Is there only one person doing part of the work? Is it a only on Sunday’s kind of relationship?  Maybe none of these apply to you. Well, whatever your relationship or lack there of, the choice is yours. He won’t force you to come to him. He will merely wait on you to call on him. Its important to ask yourself that. Because whatever relationship you have, is the way you will look at obedience. If you look at it as a one sided relationship then you will become offended when he asks you to follow his ways. That deep thought that can come up as “Oh, so now you think I owe you because you gave me something. It should come out of your heart” Harsh right…well it is a reality and it does happen.

I want to go ahead and say I don’t have children, so I don’t know what it’s like to really parent someone. But I look at my relationship with God as a father daughter relationship. I like to look at it that way because my natural father wasn’t always present so part of me carries that void (a post for an other day). So when I look at it as a father daughter relationship the word obedience has a whole new context. Let me explain. When you have a child there are certain rules or even expectations that you have for them. The purpose is so that they can become law abiding citizens or at the very least decent human beings. There’s good character to be taught, good morals, social/emotional learning, your ABC’s. Oops there’s my teacher side coming out. The point is there are certain things we have to follow….or in other words obey. It’s really not that harsh anymore. The word becomes civil. You understand why a little more. You can still feel certain ways about it, but you know its because its for your good. That’s where that freedom kicks in. We still have the choice to obey him or not. If he really was a God that demanded us to do as he says there would be no freedom.

Yes, God will give us our hearts desire, but he also wants something in return. You, me, us. He wants ALL of us. He wants our hearts, mind, and soul. He’s a perfect father. When we ask for patience he won’t just hand it to us, he will place us in situations to grow our patience. Why? Well if you’re a parent you know why. And if your not, what did your parents tell you. They wanted you to grow. They wanted you to learn good character, good moral, self-regulation, and most importantly they wanted to see you grow. It makes them happy when you obey. It makes God happy too, I can promise you that. So, don’t look at obedience as something that can be used against you if not followed. Look at it as something that will grow you and something you do because YOU love God.  After all he isn’t looking for someone that is perfect, he is looking for someone that will keep his ways.

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.”

Exodus 19:5