I have four daughters and they are my world. We love to play and talk. They like to be silly so we laugh a lot. Each one of them has the ability to melt my heart
with just a look or smile. My wife
insists that I am wrapped around their little fingers, and she is probably right.
As much as I love the fun we have there is something
that I appreciate even more. As much as
I treasure getting hugs and kisses, and hearing my little girls say that they love me, it
means even more when they obey me. I
know that it sounds a little crazy, but if you think about it it makes sense. Picture this.
I’m at the store. The parking lot
is busy and one of my little girls is two steps ahead of me. The most important thing in the world at that
moment is knowing that at the word, “stop” she will stay right where she is
until all the traffic passes. You see, I
know what is best and what is safe for my little girls. I want to protect them as much as I can. Every time they obey me it shows me that they understand that, and that I can trust them.
It means I can leave them with someone else and not fear for their safety
because I know that they will obey. It
also means that I can give them more freedom because I know that they won’t just
go crazy with it.
Why do we think that it is so different with God? Why can’t we see that His commands are for
our protection? Everything that He
commands us is for His glory and our good.
Not only that, but when we obey Him we show that we love Him. Jesus said Himself that we can show Him our
love by obeying what He commands.
Here is another thought, not only does obedience show our
love, but also that we can be trusted.
Jesus said that the one who is faithful with a little will be given
much. It seems reasonable then that if
we are obedient in small things then God can trust us with larger things.
Saul learned all this the hard way. His disobedience cost him everything. God gave him a simple task and yet his greed
kept him from following through the way he was supposed to. His decision showed where his devotion really
was. He chose possessions and prestige
over His God.
Each day you and I have the same opportunity. We may not be faced with the same situation
as Saul, but we share his opportunity. We can obey God and in affect give Him the
kind of worship He really desires, a life devoted to Him. Or we can worship Him on the outside for
everyone to see and inside we can set self up as god. Which one will you
choose today? In the words of Joshua,
“…choose this day whom you will serve…as for me and my household, we will serve
the Lord.”
