How to Know God's Will - Part 5
Getting From Here To There
How to know God's will - Part 5
by Rhonda Jackson
It was semi-scandalous, in 1981, when Lady Diana Spencer opted to omit the word obey from her marriage vows to Prince Charles, revoking not only royal tradition but also the Anglican Book of Prayer, the very source of her wedding rite. Most of us would never imagine being asked to obey our spouse – let alone promising to in church, in front of our families and friends! Even the phrase an obedient child conjures up an image of a smiling schoolboy in short pants with a frog hidden in his pocket and a sarcastic halo around his head.
Modern-day men and women tend to associate obedience with being controlled, following seemingly random mandates, and suspecting that the ones making the rules aren’t really following them! But Biblical obedience isn’t about a controlling God pronouncing edicts and “thou shalt not or else” pronouncements. Obedience to God isn’t about compliance so that we can be saved – salvation came through Christ and His obedience. Biblical obedience requires submission; we don’t cower out of fear of God and what He might do if we slip up, we submit to His authority. We work to emulate Jesus and follow His guidance because we recognize that His plan – His greatest desire is to give us life in abundance (John 10:10).
One of the Greek words used in the New Testament for obey is TRUST. Like children who don’t understand why we don’t reach our hand up to a hot stove but respect our parents’ command not to, trusting the Lord with our lives makes sense as we become spiritually mature. We want to please God, not to get brownie points in heaven, but out of reverence for our Heavenly Father. If Jesus were just some guy in the Bible, then obedience to Him would be absurd – but Jesus is God; the creator of the universe…and of you and me.
Adult believers who struggle with the concept of obedience need only to go to God’s Word to discover its many benefits:
Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away. (John 6:37) Salvation!
Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Refreshment!
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you. (John 14:26) Knowledge and help!
And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. (John 14:3) An eternal home in heaven!
These are just a few of God’s promises!
Obedience doesn’t become a losing game of trying to be perfect to please Jesus. Instead, we allow Him to pour into the God shaped hole in each of us that only He can fill – and to saturate us with a peace and wholeness that only He can provide.
God’s will is experienced in steps of obedience.
This post was inspired by the following message.
How to know God's will - Part 5
by Rhonda Jackson
It was semi-scandalous, in 1981, when Lady Diana Spencer opted to omit the word obey from her marriage vows to Prince Charles, revoking not only royal tradition but also the Anglican Book of Prayer, the very source of her wedding rite. Most of us would never imagine being asked to obey our spouse – let alone promising to in church, in front of our families and friends! Even the phrase an obedient child conjures up an image of a smiling schoolboy in short pants with a frog hidden in his pocket and a sarcastic halo around his head.
Modern-day men and women tend to associate obedience with being controlled, following seemingly random mandates, and suspecting that the ones making the rules aren’t really following them! But Biblical obedience isn’t about a controlling God pronouncing edicts and “thou shalt not or else” pronouncements. Obedience to God isn’t about compliance so that we can be saved – salvation came through Christ and His obedience. Biblical obedience requires submission; we don’t cower out of fear of God and what He might do if we slip up, we submit to His authority. We work to emulate Jesus and follow His guidance because we recognize that His plan – His greatest desire is to give us life in abundance (John 10:10).
One of the Greek words used in the New Testament for obey is TRUST. Like children who don’t understand why we don’t reach our hand up to a hot stove but respect our parents’ command not to, trusting the Lord with our lives makes sense as we become spiritually mature. We want to please God, not to get brownie points in heaven, but out of reverence for our Heavenly Father. If Jesus were just some guy in the Bible, then obedience to Him would be absurd – but Jesus is God; the creator of the universe…and of you and me.
Adult believers who struggle with the concept of obedience need only to go to God’s Word to discover its many benefits:
Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away. (John 6:37) Salvation!
Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Refreshment!
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you. (John 14:26) Knowledge and help!
And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. (John 14:3) An eternal home in heaven!
These are just a few of God’s promises!
Obedience doesn’t become a losing game of trying to be perfect to please Jesus. Instead, we allow Him to pour into the God shaped hole in each of us that only He can fill – and to saturate us with a peace and wholeness that only He can provide.
God’s will is experienced in steps of obedience.
This post was inspired by the following message.
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