10 April 2013 by Mindy Oon CM –
John 14:15 says If you [really] love Me, you will keep [obey] my commands. Notice here that Jesus did not say “If you keep my commands, I will love you”. This is because He already loves us perfectly and nothing we can do will make Him love us more. We are not able to buy God’s love but our love for Him will grow as we live in obedience to Him, and it is because of our love for Him that we want to obey Him.
Are You Living in Obedience?
Obedience can be a very touchy topic. Let’s face it – we love to live our lives the way we want to without others telling us what to do and what not to do. However, as Christians, obedience is key to a life that is pleasing unto God.
Almost all parents have said to their children “Why don’t you just do what I tell you? Listen to me, it is for your own good.” Sound familiar? The truth is that parents want the best for their children and it is the same with our Heavenly Father – whatever God asks us to do, it is for our own benefit. Thus, we need to take His direction seriously and walk in obedience in every area of our life.
Sometimes we may feel that God has taken things away from us and or have given us a long list of impossible rules. However, He is molding us to be more like Him, and teaching us what things are going to benefit us and what aren’t. He wants us to live to the fullest, and doesn’t to want us to be bitter, hurt, and resentful, which often results from disobedience. He wants us to have righteousness, peace, love and joy!
How Do We Obey Him?
First, we need to make a commitment to obey His Word. This means doing what the Bible tells us to do, and not doing what the Bible says not to do. We can start with the clear instructions, such as “Forgive your enemies and pray for those who hurt you”. It may not be easy to forgive those who have hurt us, but it’s definitely better than carrying the hurt and resentment our whole lives! At times, we will need to be really determined to obey His word. Remember that God will give us the ability and strength to do what He asks us to do.
Secondly, obey the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Each of us have different lives, and God does not lead everyone of us in the same way. While each of us should walk in obedience to the Word of God, the Bible does not give every detail of everything we need to do in our lives. This is why we also need to listen and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit, for example, when the Holy Spirit prompts us to approach a person to pray for him.
We obey our Lord because we love Him, and as we step out to walk in accordance to His ways, we will not only experience more peace and joy, but our love for Him will grow deeper and deeper!
Dear Viewers in Christ, if you find this article edifying to you, please share with your friends or loved ones by using the social media plugs (Share, Email to this article). The Lord will surely bless you as you bless others. May the Lord’s peace and love be with you.
References for pictures:
http://glad-u-see.com/obedience.html
http://thelatterdays.blogspot.com/2011/02/following-biblical-example-of-mary.html
http://diggingtheword.blogspot.com/2010/10/keep-my-commandments.html
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