1 Samuel 15 : 22-23 « So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
Deuteronomy
28: 1 « Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord
your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today,
that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. »
The
great stories and teachings of the Bible clearly confirm that obedience is a
quality God loves. Therefore, He expects us to practice it. He generously
rewards those who do. Those who disobey, however, face failure not because God
punishes them, but because they have chosen a path that leads to the exact danger
from which God wanted to protect them. There are many examples of both
categories. We can draw inspiration for obedience from the lives of Jesus (the
best example), Noah, Abraham, Paul, Mary and Joseph, Samuel, Gideon, and many
others. Conversely, the fates of Solomon, Cain, Saul, Lot’s wife, Samson, and
even Moses can serve as effective deterrents against disobedience.
Many
would argue that faith is the most important quality. However, obedience is
simply a manifestation of faith. The two are one and the same. One cannot claim
to have faith if they are unable to consistently obey God's instructions. Faith
is not a set of declarations, but rather acts of obedience to God’s
instructions. Having faith in God means accepting that He is in control of
everything. If He is in control, then we must act according to His will, not
our own. When we’re on a cruise ship, we don't decide which way to go. But we
can dance, drink, and sleep without a care in the world because we know a whole
navigation team is making sure the trip goes smoothly. We just pay attention to
and follow any special instructions. The same principle applies to our
relationship with God. He wants us to be at peace, knowing He is in control and
we must simply obey. Even when we cannot see the connection between what God
asks of us and the outcome He has promised, we must do as Noah did and simply
obey.
So,
if God tells someone that he is going to use them for a spiritual revival in
Germany and asks them to start learning German, even though they live in Cuba
and don't even have a passport, the act of faith would be to obey by enrolling
in the best German course available.
1 Corinthians 3 : 19-20 « For the wisdom of
this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in
their own craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are futile.” »
We
often think we can help God, or even take His place. We believe we know what is
best for our lives, so we try to bend His plans to fit our reasoning and
desires. This behaviour only leads to failure because it distorts the best plan
laid out for our lives. Indeed, no other plan could be better for us than
God's. Created by and for Him, He knows the purpose of our existence and what
we need to fulfill it better than we do.
Let the Master of all things take the lead!
