Wednesday, April 9th
Mac Brown
This command I gave them, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk only in the way that I command you, so that it may be well with you.” Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but, in the stubbornness of their evil will, they walked in their own counsels, and looked backward rather than forward. From the day that your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day; yet they did not listen to me, or pay attention, but they stiffened their necks. They did worse than their ancestors did.
So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. You shall say to them: This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips. Jeremiah 7:23–28
Obedience is full surrender. It is a demonstration of trust. I know this can be hard. Especially, in an unknown future where we want some sense of control and understanding. It’s hard in a major life change, walking through fear or walking through something you know will be painful. Are we listening? Are we really surrendering or are we just trying? Sometimes I have to surrender the same thing over and over.
There is a quote by A.W. Tozer that states, “The child of God must be completely obedient to the word of the Lord. The driver on the highway is safe, not when he reads the signs; but when he obeys them”
Obedience to God cannot be based on what we feel. We might be scared, confused or doubtful. Those feelings change. Obedience to God has to be based on who HE is which does not change. If we live in the flesh we are separated from God. When we come to God and believe, we are alive in the spirit. Being obedient activates the Holy Spirit. Transformation happens and it opens the door for the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do. The Holy Spirit guides us when we are willing and when we surrender. Obedience can be easy for some and for others… it might be when they are depleted and broken.
Through this journey of life, we can look back and see how God has put people, events, places, heartache, joy, opportunities etc… in our path. We can see how they intertwine and work together for His plan. This is where we can get excited in obedience; even when it pulls us out of our comfort zone and even when it doesn’t make sense. It unlocks understanding. It is the highest form of worship. We find out later what God had in mind as he prepared us for what He prepared for us. God sees our future when we can’t. Our obedience is telling God that we trust Him.
Lord, grant me the obedience to follow your voice. May my life be a testimony to the blessings and healing that come from obeying your commands. Amen
Other readings for the day: Jeremiah 7:23-28, Luke 11:14-23, Psalm 95:6-11
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