Last night we ate dinner at our contact’s house.
It was bath time…and there was much resistance.
Both little girls were adamant that a bath was not necessary.
One said: “No,” but eventually complied.
The other one said: “No way…” (however she had embraced the first command of taking off all her clothes…that one she had no issue with). 
After a decent amount of chasing, she finally was captured and lifted into the tub.
My teammates and I watched in disbelief. We couldn’t believe they could say no to their parents…
Then this morning, the Lord got to me.
You have said “no” to Me.
You have said “no way” to Me.
I have chased you.
You have picked which of My commands fit your mood that day.
There are days you’ve chosen to not get clean…
Because you were comfortable in that amount of dirt and smell.
And you chose not to listen to Me.
This is a season that the Lord has been beckoning me to obedience. I don’t even know what that means.
But I know there’s freedom in obedience.
That’s the mystery I’m stepping into.
In 1 Samuel, Saul was anointed as king over Israel. He is commanded by the Lord to destroy the Amalekites…every single thing in that city. He doesn’t. He decides to keep the best of their flocks for an offering for the Lord.
That doesn’t sound bad, right? I mean, it was for the Lord.
But Samuel comes in, and tells him:
“Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than to sacrifice…for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry…” 1 Samuel 15:22, 23
To obey…is better.
Rebellion = witchcraft.
Stubbornness = idolatry.
Eeek. The Lord takes it seriously. So shouldn’t I take it seriously?
Jesus was just as adamant about this…
“If a person really loves Me, he will keep My word…” John 14:23
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love.” John 15:10
We like to skip over these…because in reality, we don’t like to feel like we have to obey or answer to anyone.
Because we want to decide what’s good and what’s bad for us.
We’re like the little girl who chose to run around naked, but didn’t think getting in the tub was that great of an idea.
We want the freedom of Eden, but the right to decide for ourselves what’s good and what’s bad for us.
But that was never an option.
So the real freedom lies in the fact that we don’t have to decide.
If we’ll just walk with Him, He’ll tell us.
If we'll just walk with Him…
