What is Obedience, Really?
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
Doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily.
Action is the key, doing it immediately, joy you will receive.
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
This song resonated in my heart as a little girl. I was always striving to be good. In fact, it could have been the theme of my childhood. I’m not saying I never disobeyed, but in my own eyes I was pretty good. At least I was always striving to be good. Obedience, for me, was just about being good.
I’ve been singing this tune with my own children the past few days, pointing out that obeying is doing it right away – without complaining. When I read Romans 12:1-2, I realized obedience isn’t just about being good. And it isn’t something just for children. Obedience is the mark of a Christian. Obedience reveals what is in our hearts.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal o four mind, that by testing you may discern what its the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2
We read these verses and sometimes get stuck on the word: sacrifice. We see how God is calling us to give our lives for others. And we should be willing to be poured out for others, giving our gifts and talents (see Romans 12:3-8). When we look further in Romans 12:9-21 we find what it really means to be a Christian. We are to walk in grace and live a life free of sin. We are called to bear fruits of righteousness (Romans 6:20-23). How do we live a life of sacrifice?
Obey.
Obedience isn’t something grand, its all the little things throughout the day. We obey in the ordinary days. We put one foot in front of us and keep moving forward. As we obey, our minds are renewed. Again and again we see God changing us. Just as it is hard to measure the growth of plants, we will only see change over time. If you read Romans 12-15 you will find a huge list of things we can do to obey God. But it isn’t about a checklist. It is about the ordinary days. It is about a heart attitude.
Oswald Chambers wrote:”No man is born either naturally or supernaturally with character, he has to make character. Nor are we born with habits; we have to form habits on the basis of new life God has put into us…. Drudgery (the everydayness of life) is the touchstone of character.”
Our habits of obedience will bring forth the new life inside of us. We will develop a Christ-like character over time. Keep reading your Bible. Keep praying, seeking God. Keep memorizing scripture and speak truth to your heart. Don’t neglect what you know to do. The everydayness of life doesn’t require us to fall to our knees asking for help. The normal days will not find us lifting our hands in praise and worship. But they should. The small days will add up and the small days are where we practice real obedience.
Tweet ThisChambers also wrote:”If I do my duty, not for duty’s sake, but because I believe God is entering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience the whole superb grace of God is mine through Atonement.”
We have the power of God to live in ordinary obedience. In fact, it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to move forward. Don’t think you just need the Spirit for the deep valleys of darkness or the high mountain top moments. When we obey one day at a time, we declare our belief in God.
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
What has God called you to do in obedience?
How will you obey God today?
Do you struggle finding time to study the Bible?
Do you wish you had more minutes in the day to devote to Bible reading?
What if I told you you could start TODAY in just 5 minutes!?
Check out my 5 Steps I created just for you!
I am passionate about Bible study. It is through many Bible studies God has brought me closer to Him. It wasn’t about getting more “head knowledge” of God. It was learning about Him so I can know Him deeper. Abiding is about growing closer to Christ. One way to do that is to study scripture.
Here are some devotionals I’ve read (or am currently reading):
Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments for Moms to Meet with Jesus
Join me as we live in the daily together.
I love these words… “When we obey one day at at time, we declare our belief in God.” YES! It’s the ordinary moments of our lives where we are making multiple decisions, one after another, that we choose to move toward God or away.
Growing up I also believed like you that obedience was being good and I knew I could do it really well. Thank you for broadening my view. Glad to be your neighbor at Testimony Tuesday.
I love this. I have learned to be obedient in my studies and see how God has grown me and shown me the Bible is not boring and how I’ve grown to love Him and others more.
Trying to be obedient in exercise and food now, and its hard but He’s been speaking loudly to me about it this year.
This is good stuff! So often we get caught up in the big picture of life that we fail to be obedient day by day. You’ve given me something to think about – and some good application to something my husband and I are going through together. Thanks!
Also – those Patch the Pirate songs have impacted my life as well! I grew up singing them, and it’s amazing how those simple lyrics like “Right is always right and wrong is always wrong” and “When you have a job to do, never quit until you’re through” come back to me at critical moments in my adult life!
love your gentle loving words in your post. Trust and obey for there is no other way is the words to a song I grew up singing and truly still try to obey the words of the song
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