Obedience

Well......I haven't blogged in quite a while, not because I didn't have anything to write about but just the opposite.  There are so many topics I want to write about but I took time to pray for direction instead of jumping the gun and writing without true direction from God.  This blog was started out of obedience to God and I want to be obedient to what He wants me to share. 

Obedience is the key to God's blessings on your life.  When I first started this blog I was going through a valley so to speak, a dark time in my life.  Many times in our lives we question God as to why we are going through a valley, why us, why can't I just be happy, why, why, why?  If we will take a step back and truly look at the situation, many times the valley or that dark time in our lives is a direct result of disobedience.  As parents, we try to instill the importance of obedience in our children but yet we aren't always obedient to God.

As a mother, I have said many times to my children, "Life would be a lot easier for you if you will just obey the first time.  It's not hard."  While that statement is true it's also not true.  Hang on...don't tune me out just yet.  I'm not talking out of both sides of my mouth.  Life would be easier if we would just obey the first time.....but it's not always easy to do so.  Many times doing what is right and being obedient brings pain, disappointment, and frustration.   Disobedience isn't always a selfish act like we are so prone to think.  Many times we are disobedient because we want to make others happy, we don't want to bring trouble to others, or we don't want to bring heartache to others.  But as Christians, God commands us to be obedient.  He knows it will be uncomfortable, hard, troubling, and even sad but I can speak from experience.....He WILL reward you for your obedience.  He promises us in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 He will bless us for being obedient. 

Sadly, I can't report that I have always been obedient to God, His commandments, or His voice.  Many times, I was disobedient because I was scared.  I was afraid of what would be exposed if I was obedient.  I have been disobedient out of selfish reasons.   I didn't want to give up what I was enjoying or I had my eyes set on something that I wanted that I thought would fulfill me.  The consequences for my disobedience were far greater than the temporary satisfaction I felt at the time.  However, I can report that the blessings of being obedient are far greater than anything I could have ever imagined.   Obedience brings peace, contentment, love, honor, and most of all approval from God.  It may not seem like it at the time but it makes all things right. 

While writing this blog post, my mind took me back to when my boys were small.   They "played" church often.  We didn't have a television for many years so church, music, and books were all they knew.  Many times while cleaning the house, I would hear them in their playroom taking turns preaching and singing.   One of the songs they sang often was simple but holds a lot of truth.  It was the "Obedience Song." 

Obedience is the very best way, to show that you believe.
Doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily.
Action is the key - do it immediately, joy you will receive.
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.

As we get older our self will becomes stronger and obedience is often harder for us.  We could avoid a lot of heartache, trouble, self destruction, etc....if we would only obey God.  Just as the song says....it's the very best was to show we believe.