OK. Raise your hand if you have a child or children. God Bless you! Now, raise your hand if you have been a child. That should be everyone! Those of us with children have tried to teach them right from wrong. We restrict them from going certain places we feel are dangerous or have the potential to be dangerous. A responsible, loving and protective parent will not want their child to be in any environment that does not have another responsible parent present. When we speak to our children, we expect them to obey. As a mother of two and a Sunday school teacher, I have been forced to examine myself and observe what is happening in the natural. I also pray for the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom, discernment and also guide me Spiritually. I do this because I want to teach the youth what I learned from school, life experience and most of all by the Holy Spirit.
The biggest lesson I've learned is that I have a lot more to learn!
I learned that the very things we expect from our children: respect, gratitude without attitude, and obedience--are the very things God expects from His children. Go figure! We want what God wants! (This makes sense since we are made in His image), Like our children, we too, fall short. We have to be scolded for walking out of Our Heavenly Father's Will. Just as we call a child out or punish them for being disobedient; we become extremely forgetful that when we as believers fall short of the glory of God, we too must be called out. Like our children, it is the only way we will learn. Let's pray and apply His Word, so we can remain obedient to Our Father. He knows our future and what's best for our lives. We must understand when we obey there's reward; when we disobey, there are consequences. We have evidence as God speaks to Jeremiah about the Israelites:
"23 but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention;instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward." Jeremiah 7:23-24 NIV
There is a sweet reward for obedience...a sweet Heavenly Reward: Eternal Life with Jesus Christ! To be obedient, we must believe with faith in God and His plan for our lives. We already know He will never leave us, but when the going gets tough, we leave Him. We know we should pray and study His Word daily, but we make excuses. We know we should love The Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and strength; but we get distracted very easy with daily routines and the things of this world. We are more focused on family, friends, work, social media, our cars, and even church events; than we are to serving God.
Almost everyone can agree they have received some form of discipline in their life. There are consequences for disobedience in our home and in the Spiritual realm. We discipline our children because we love them and want the best for them. God does the same because He loves us. My prayer is that we all do what the Word tells us over and over: Pray without ceasing; rejoice always; study The Word; ask God to examine our thoughts; Ask The Holy Spirit to help us increase our faith so we can live in obedience and teach others what we know.
"7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:7-11 NIV
He loved us FIRST. It is because of His unconditional love we have freedom and can do all we can today. His Grace and Mercy are keeping us and blessing us with the time we have. While we have this time, Our Father expects obedience. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus took all the ridicule, abuse, torment, brutal beating and ultimately death on a cross to save us from dying in sin. Jesus died and defeated death when He rose on the 3rd day (Matthew 28:5-6). I don't know about you, but as much as I love my family, friends, co-workers, church family and classmates; not one of them has died for me. We still don't fully obey, but Jesus keeps interceding, talking to God on our behalf, because He loves us and doesn't want any of us to die in sin...due to disobedience.
Let's be obedient and live Blessed!!
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