7 Benefits Of A Life Of Obedience
Genesis 13:2 shows us one of the results of obedience
. To give you a little background, God told Abram to leave his home and to go to the land God gave him. Abram did arrive in Canaan, but he got a little uncomfortable during a famine. He went to Egypt for awhile, he told some lies that caused problems for Pharaoh. Pharaoh sent him away.
So, Abram went back to Canaan with everything he had collected. He and Lot went their separate ways, and God shared His promise with Abram. In Genesis 13:14-17, God showed Abram the land that was given to him and his offspring. He promised Abram so many offspring that they would be too numerous to count.
Abram was truly blessed. We, too, can be blessed by following the examples of obedience given to us in the Bible. But obedience comes in many fashions, and we cannot pick and choose what we will obey.
What do we do?
There are several verses that provide our basic instruction for life. I will only reference one here. Deuteronomy 13:4 tells us, "It is the LORD your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him." (NIV) As the verse suggests, we are to obey God and His commands. In serving Him, we make Him our top priority.
When do we obey?
Obedience should not be something that we turn on and off. We should constantly be thinking about God and His Word. David wrote in Psalm 119:97, "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long." (NIV)
How do we obey?
There are so many men and women of God that can serve as great examples. This includes people mentioned in the Bible, as well as people we know in our own circles. However, the best example of a perfect walk of obedience with God is found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We know how far His obedience took Him. Philippians 2:8 tells us, "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!" (NIV) Like Jesus, our obedience should know no limits.
Why do we obey?
The Bible is filled with reasons to obey God. Let's consider just seven of the benefits of a life of obedience:
It's a public verification of your love for God. (John 14:15)
God will honor you. (John 12:26)
God will accept you. (Acts 10:34-35)
You will abide in God's love. (John 15:10)
You will be blessed in what you do. (James 1:25)
You will be prosperous and content for the rest of your life. (Job 36:11)
Everything will go well with you and your children after you. (Deuteronomy 12:28)
Where do we obey?
Obeying God is important, but the obedience also trickles down to the "earthly masters" that we are accountable to.
A typical family structure would look like this: Husbands should be obedient to God. Wives are obedient to their husbands. Children obey their parents.
Outside of the home, we are also to be obedient to the general social rules that help our communities to function effectively. This applies to city, state, and federal ordinances. These can be general traffic laws. Remember that these authorities have been established by God. (Romans 13:2)
Then there is the workplace. We must be obedient to our bosses. Colossians 3:22 reminds us, "Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord." (NIV) Our obedience is not meant to be only when someone is looking. It shouldn't be done to get a raise or promotion. We should be sincere.
What do we do if we are in an unbearable work environment? The answer is found in 1 Peter 2:18-19, "Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God." (NIV)
Remember, not everyone knows Jesus. Our lights should be shining at all times so that we can give hope to those who are still lost.
by: Ozeme J Bonnette
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