We’d Better Obey!
When Mom said, “You had better…” then it meant serious business. In our spiritual lives there is one thing we better do: obey God.
The God of all creation desires and deserves to be obeyed by His creation. Why?
1. It’s right. Genesis 22:18 “and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” Psalm 86:10 “For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.” He is unique (Psalm 90:2) and He deserves to be worshiped alone. We can’t have other gods and worship God as well. It’s the reason for our existence. Eccclesiastes 12:13 “When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all humanity.”
2. Example of Past Judgements. In the Beginning God made a paradise but man sinned against his Creator and the justice of God required punishment (Genesis 3:16-17). We would have done the same thing (Romans 3:23) so we can’t blame them. The Israelites wondered in the desert forty years because they were rebellious (Joshua 5:6). When they finally came into the Promised Land they soon forgot God and His power so God brought punishment on them again (Jeremiah 9:13-16). The pattern is repeated over and over (Daniel 4, Acts 12, 1 Kings 15). We have many examples of what happens if we don’t obey God.
3. Encouraged by God’s Promises. Although judgement is a motive to obey, God also blesses those who obey Him. He is just but He is also merciful. He is righteous but He is also gracious. There can be no blessings like what God offers. Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.” Heaven is one such favorable consequence of a faithful and obedient life (Revelation 2:10, James 1:12, Philippians 4:13).
4. Evidence demands obedience. God never expects blind obedience. He wants us to study and reason so we will know what we believe. 1 John 1:3 “what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.”
When a person experiences the greatness of God you cannot help but be impacted. A life of obedience changes hearts and lives. Psalm 51:10 “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
