The Lord's Great Delight
Hello Bride of Christ,
One aspect of life I have come to understand profoundly through parenting is the importance of obedience. As a child and even as a young adult I knew I had to obey, but I truly did not understand how disobedience could lead to death. Even how obedience could lead to life. Admittedly I have sons who are not quick to obey, which I attribute to my delayed obedience. This delayed obedience results in me, as their mother, repeating myself over and over, and results in times of very close calls of injury. Especially, when I ask them to wait or stand still. Their delayed obedience results in them standing still pass the point of safety. Waiting in a position I did not intend. Experiencing delayed obedience from God's point of view, the one giving the commands with the ability to see the end result more clearly then the one being instructed, is very humbling. Is there delayed obedience to be dealt with in your life?
The Lord speaks of obedience over and over in His word. He gives us tons of examples of obedience leading to life and disobedience leading to death. God even embedded this concept in the commandments, for He wrote with His finger on the tablet of stone "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you." (Deuteronomy 5:16) In the new testament Paul in his explanation of relationships reflecting our personal relationship to God reminds us once again "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: that is may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.'" (Ephesians 6:1-3)
Obedience is such a key concept the Lord wants us to grasp and not overlook He has dedicated large chunks of scripture to lay out the clear divide between obedience and disobedience. Deuteronomy chapter 7 from verses 12-26 explains all the blessings and results attributed to obedience. Again in Deuteronomy chapter 28 we see the blessing of obedience and the curses of disobedience. However, the Lord knows with some of us the list of blessings and curses would not be enough to enlighten our understanding, so He inserts examples of individual lives and the impact their obedience.
Abraham, the Father of our faith, God said about him, "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." (Genesis 22:18) What an example! Abraham was not asked to obey a simple command. Abraham was asked to leave the land he knew very well to go somewhere he knew not. God did not tell Abraham the end destination. In fact, God gave Abraham very little details. However, Abraham obeyed God's voice. Abraham chose to obey, and because of one man's obedience we today are blessed for we are of the seed of Abraham that dwells in all nations of the earth. Then God gives us living examples of delayed obedience, for God knows His children fall in both camps. Saul this great first king of Israel. In 1 Samuel 15 we read about his delayed obedience.
Is delayed obedience, obedience at all? No. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Delayed obedience often is not recognized by the one being called to obey. See Saul in 1 Samuel 15 really thought he had obeyed all the Lord had asked him to do towards the Amalekites, for he said to Samuel upon greeting him, "Blessed are you (Samuel) of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord." (1 Samuel 15:13) "But Samuel said, 'What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'" (1 Samuel 15:14) Samuel by this point already had received a word from the Lord saying, "I (the Lord) greatly regret that I have set Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed my commandments." (1 Samuel 15:11) Saul in his delayed obedience tries to rectify the situation, but Samuel tells him its too late the Lord has taken the kingship from him (1 Samuel 15:28), since delayed obedience is disobedience. As with Abraham's obedience impacted generations to come, so did Saul's disobedience.
Bride of Christ, as we reflect and analyze our own hearts let us consider how we are obeying the Lord. Are we heeding and choosing to obey the voice of the Lord? Are we delaying in our obedience? Are we acting as sons of disobedience? If we find ourselves identifying with delayed obedience may we be brave enough to ask ourselves as Samuel asked Saul, "Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?" (1 Samuel 15:19) As we answer honestly (for we worship a God who looks at the heart and test the mind), may we remember our God delights in obedience more than sacrifice. As Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22) Let us behold this truth to live as we are called "obedient children, not conforming ourselves to the former lusts, as in our ignorance; but as He (God) who called us is holy, we also be holy in all our conduct." (1 Peter 14-15)
