The Daily Grace - Lessons of Obedience

When young Kofi came home after Sunday school, his mother asked him what he had learned that morning. His quickly reply spoke volumes: "Obedience. . . again!" Although I'm many years older than Kofi, I agree that obedience to God is a lesson that we must, sometimes reluctantly, learn over and over again.

Oswald Chambers wrote: "The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says. . . . If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself". When we are obedient, we show God that we love Him and have more faith in Him than we do in ourselves. Arthur W. Pink said that love is "a principle of action, and it expresses itself. . . by deeds which please the object loved". To obey God means to relinquish what we want and to choose to do what He asks.

God requires the obedience of His followers, and Jesus placed great importance on it. He asked, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). And, He issued this challenge: "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Obedience to God is an expression of our love for God.