Our Father Knows Best


 “But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’” Jeremiah‬ ‭7‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV

  • Why is it so hard to listen? Why is it so hard to understand and accept what the Lord may be asking of us? Why is it so hard to obey? Especially when He promises that if we obey His commands and walk in His ways we will be blessed? 
  • Obedience, a nine letter word, that especially in my past, made me cringe. My motto was, “it’s my life I’ll do what I want” or, “you can’t tell me what to do”. I struggled with authority figures because I couldn’t stand the feeling of someone else thinking they could control me. I always wanted things to go my way. I still struggle with control issues but the Lord has definitely been changing my heart and mind; teaching me about surrender and trusting in Him.  The Biblical definition of obedience is, “hearing the word of God and acting on it”. It’s not always easy to obey those initial promptings of the Spirit. Especially when it’s something I really don’t want to do! That battle between the “flesh” and the “spirit” really starts up. 
  • As Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way…” Over and over again, instead of listening to God who knows what is best for us, we tend to wander, take matters into our own hands, and then wonder why everything falls apart! Oh, to claim the promise of Isaiah 48:17(NIV)! “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go”.  ‭‭
  • Then I’m reminded of what Paul says in Galatians 5:16-17, ‭‭ “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”
  • ‭‭Do you notice that? “So that you are not to do whatever you want”.  It’s not about me, or getting my needs met, but dying to self and doing what is pleasing to God; what brings Him glory. That, for me, is what it means to “walk by the Spirit”. 
  • 1Thessalonians 5:19, says, “Do not quench the Spirit.” So when we choose not to listen, or when we’re unsure we’re really hearing from Him, or we just prefer our own agenda, we are “quenching” the Spirit. Like putting out a campfire or dousing a flame. Instead we need to learn to trust one step at a time, one decision at a time, if we want to walk by the Spirit. 
  • I am not perfect, I still mess up more times than I’d like to admit, but thanks be to God, His mercies are new each morning! I get a blank sheet of paper to start my day, I get to choose what I will write upon it, may I learn to write that I trusted and obeyed! “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭

Comments

  1. KateJuly 13, 2024 at 1:11 PM

    When I was a young mother, I took a course called Growing Kids God's Way. In it they defined obedience as doing what you are to do with a good attitude. That good attitude piece really woke me up!

    ReplyDelete

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