Hello friends, Let’s talk about obedience. What does it mean to be obedient, and what are the rewards or consequences that derive from this act or the lack thereof? Obedience is one of the first things that we must learn when we enter life. From the day we were born, we have been set to obey a bunch of rules and commands. Whether it’s from our parents, those in authority, the law, or our creator, obedience, or being obedient is engraved to be a normal part of our lives. However, being obedient is one of the hardest things for us to commit to. As a matter of fact, obeying everyone and everything can sometimes seem next to impossible as a human being with free will.
What is the meaning of obedience? Obedience means compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority. OUCH! What a hard act to follow. We see that even from the beginning when God placed man (Adam and Eve) in the Garden of Eden and told them not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that man did not comply or obey this command. Even though being told the consequences or repercussions of what would happen as a result. Now through their disobedience, sin came on the whole world. The whole human race is living out the consequences of their disobedience, but we can thank God for sending His son Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sinful state. He was obedient in all things, even unto His death on the cross. Can you imagine if He was not obedient to what He came to do for us? Where would we be today? These experiences from the Bible should help us to realize just how powerful it is to be obedient. It does not just affect you in the moment, but your whole life, and the lives of those around you as well.
There are two verses of scripture come to mind as I think about the act of obedience. One comes from Isaiah 1:19-20 NKJV, which says, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.”What is this saying to us today? It is simply saying that when we are disobedient, we bring consequences to our lives, but if we obey, we can enjoy many benefits. Obedience is a principle set by God, therefore, it is absolute. The other verse of scripture is from 1 Samuel 15:22 NKJV, and this says, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” The Bible uses terms sometimes that can challenge our critical thinking (‘the fat of rams’), but we understand or interpret the message or lesson it is bringing to our attention. Obeying or taking heed can sometimes be hard, but it is better to do so. A sacrifice can be very painful and you can suffer unnecessarily, so just stay in the comfort of being obedient. Life in itself has enough trials for us to face. Don’t bring things on yourself that you can avoid.
So my friends, let’s try to discipline ourselves when it comes to the act of being obedient. Our very lives and the comforts we want to experience depend on it. Obedience has benefits especially when we obey the word of God. In obeying the word of God we will cover all things as it pertains to life in general. If we obey God’s word, we can avoid many problems that we face in life. When we obey God, we indefinitely obey all principles, the righteous laws of the land, our parents, and all authority. We already know that being obedient is not always easy, but remember, it is better to obey than to sacrifice. Think of the negatives in your life that are a result of things if only you listened to obedience it would be different. Think of the rebellious things that you have done in the past and you may still be paying the price for it today. Bad relationship and financial decisions. Breaking the law, being disobedient to parents. There are many scenarios. It doesn’t matter what age you are, we are all subject to obedience. So let’s boost up on some obedience and watch for the goodness it will bring to our lives.
Peace and Love.
