Obedience is usually the difference between where you are and where God is taking you to. I am not saying this to make our relationship with God transactional. Rather, we often find ourselves stuck in a place due to our refusal to obey what God says or because what He says feels very heavy and requires a lot of sacrifice from us.
The world values obedience as a tool to get something, but children of God live a default life of obedience because we love our Father and are committed to living the way He wants us to live.
Limited Sight and Limited Obedience
My boy, who is over three years old, occasionally expresses strong opinions. But he is 3. He hasn’t seen life. His experience is so sheltered that his only worry is which toy to play with. But for him to be safe, for him to be able to live life to the fullest, he has to trust me and what I say. Anytime he disobeys, especially when it comes to his safety, he gets injured.
He needs me to properly hold his hand and lead him until he is able to care for himself. That cannot happen unless he obeys my words and instructions.
As humans, we have limited sight and knowledge of life. So much so that we have little control of the next minute. The life God wants us to live with Him is one we can’t do to the fullest because we do not know it in full.
Obedience Leading to Intimacy
But how do we navigate life? How do we become true children of God who trust Him to lead them and who have decided to live life on God’s terms?
We do this by living daily in obedience. If we want to live the way God wants us to, have a relationship with God that is genuine and long-lasting, and successfully navigate life, then obedience is the beginning of that journey.
Obedience is born out of trust, love, and a deep desire to honor God and live for him. As a parent, you know how your heart swells with pride and joy when your children obey you. You know how the bond is strengthened between the both of you. Imagine how it will be with God.
If you are seeking intimacy with God, it begins with obedience.
A Relationship of Obedience
In today’s passage, we see Abraham step out in obedience to God. He trusted God and chose to obey him. That single step opened up a lifetime of fellowship between God and Abraham, so much so that God called Abraham ‘His Friend’ (Isaiah 41:8). That step of obedience opened a door that you and I walked through to Christ.
Obedience brings us into a strengthened relationship with God for those who have trusted in Jesus. You can’t be friends with someone you are not in a relationship with. We tend to have a lot in common with our friends. Why? This is due to our close proximity and prioritizing time together.
Obedience brings us closer to God. When we come closer to Him, we become more like Him. What stands between us and intimacy and becoming more like Jesus is obedience.
A hymn writer penned down a timeless hymn: “Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.”
Trust God! You can only obey someone you trust. When you choose to put your trust in Him, obedience becomes easier because you trust Him and know He will never fail you.
Faith Growing from Obedience
Every time Abraham chose not to trust God’s wisdom, he disobeyed God. And every time he trusted God’s wisdom and providence, he obeyed. In Abraham’s story, we see a beautiful picture emerge that leads our faith to grow in the realities of our Father God.
When we live a life of obedience, like Abraham, our light shines for all to see. When our light shines, Christ is lifted high, and people come to know Him. Just as we can look back at Abraham’s story and are encouraged in our walk of faith, so others can look at us and be encouraged to follow God.
May we be individuals who live lives of obedience to God. Amen.
