Dave’s Monday Blast – November 9, 2015
Obedience! Wow…what a word. What a topic to muse upon. We are taught at very young ages the value of obedience. It is drummed into our heads from many directions and at many levels. Obedience is taught simply because we benefit from its fruits. On the flip side, I don’t know about you, but over the course of my life the consequences of disobedience are such that I have more often than not chosen obedience simply to avoid the penalties associated with disobedience. I think Men of Intention understand both of these motivational truths.
Most importantly, as Christ followers we grasp that while it is critical to obey human authorities, it is more important to be prepared to obey God rather than man. In Acts 5: 27 – 32 we read that the High Priest ordered Peter and the apostles to stop teaching about Jesus, but they ignored the order. When questioned about their actions, Peter replied, “We obey God rather than men” (v. 29). What motivated them to follow the Lord with such conviction? Here is a sound answer from In Touch Ministries:
God’s Sovereignty. Peter and the other disciples recognized that God had carried out His divine plan of redemption in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Convinced that salvation was found in Christ alone, they had the courage to speak boldly about their faith. They didn’t alter their words, even in front of a powerful authority. Instead, they gave allegiance to God and obeyed Him.
Thankfulness. Their obedience was also motivated by gratitude. After betraying the Lord, Peter had wept over his failure (Mark 14:72). Think of the disciple’s joy to realize that Christ had forgiven him for his mistakes and restored him to a right relationship with God (Mark 16:7; John 21:15 -17). With his past behind him, Peter became a leader of the Jerusalem church, with a passion to obey fueled by a thankful heart.
God is in charge of our lives. He has rescued us from the bondage of sin, forgiven us, and brought us into His family. Grateful obedience should be our response too. Each day we have an INTENTIONAL choice. We can acknowledge God’s sovereignty and trust Him, or we can turn away and follow our own plan. Cultivating a thankful spirit will motivate us to stay the course and obey the Lord. Like Peter, let’s commit to following our heavenly Father wherever He leads.
