God has been teaching me about obedience in the last few days. I love how when God wants to speak to me, he uses so many of the things I encounter.
Several days ago, I sat down to spend time with the Lord and began asking him some questions, and he faithfully answered them. I have spent time asking questions like, ‘What am I doing here exactly?’ ‘What is my purpose?’ ‘What do You want me to learn?’ and such, and his answer is consitently, “Just do and obey my voice when I speak.”
After that episode with God, I went to Hebrews, started at the beginning and began reading. In chapter three the author speaks of the Israelites not reaching the rest of God. At the beginning it says it is because of their unbelief, but at the end of the discussion, it says that it was because of their disobedience. I began to think of what that meant. Does it mean that unbelief and disobedience are the same here? Does this coincide with the troubling statements made by Jesus – I will not accept all who say they believe, but only those who are obedient… and what about the epistle of James and the discussion of faith and works. How does this all work together? I continued to ponder these thoughts and moved on with my day.
Next day, my devotional was on obedience in drudgery. When we are obedient to God, he responds with inspiration and power to do what He has called us to do. Then I listened to a message on my IPOD by John Bevere. (Funny thing – I had my IPOD on shuffle and it shuffled to the exact passage my devotional was on that morning – John 13. Then it shuffled to a part of this message by John, on obedience, so I listened to the whole thing) John was speaking about how obedience and belief are the same thing!! In Biblical times the understanding of belief is different than we tend to understand it now. He helped clear up some of the very same things I was thinking about the day before.
To truly ‘believe’ God, we will obey. If we are not obeying him, then we are doubting him and are walking in unbelief. This can sound a little rough at first because we understand ‘belief’ as simply acknowledgement. But in James 2, he points out that even the demons ‘believe’ in Jesus. Our ‘works’ are the corresponding actions of obedience that stem from true belief in Jesus.
The great commission in Matthew 28 also speaks of obedience. Jesus says, “Go and make
disciples
of all nations (not just people who ‘believe’ in Jesus), baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Sun and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to OBEY all that I have commanded you.” Obedience is key.
What does that look like, really? Different all the time if you only look at the actions, but always a humble response to the voice of Jesus and a constant seeking of His face, in order to glorify Him and make Him known.
Slightly scattered thoughts I know, but deeply on my heart as God is teaching me, so I wanted to share.
