Obedience

Why does obedience sound so bad? We have been led to believe that obedience is the opposite of freedom. We are told that in order to be free, we must rebel.  In order to be free we must question and escape any authority.  It is a clever lie from the father of lies himself.

Obedience is a choice to trust at least two things about who you obey:

1.       The authority wants my good.

2.       The authority can provide what I need.

There is in fact great freedom and security found in living under an authority who wants my good and can provide what I need.  When I trust these things about my authority, I am free to explore, create, love, and take risks knowing that as long as I stay under this authority, the authority has me and wants me well.

To disobey this authority I must believe that somehow I am not being provided for like someone else would or even on my own. I must believe the authority really doesn’t love me and want my good.  The authority must be holding out on me and withholding my good. In fact the authority is saving all of the good for his own.

In our broken world where leaders and authorities are full of mixed motivations, we grow suspicious of their intensions to do us good.  We even begin to questions whether or not they can really provide for us.

We rebel from our parents. We mistrust our bosses. We drive beyond the speed limits. When the cat is away, the mice will play.

What if God really is good? What if God really intends our good even in a world of brokenness and rebels? What if He still holds ultimate authority? Even amid circumstances that seem out of control His larger hands are holding it all together.

Obeying God would come more natural if we were completely settled with proof that He loved us. And if we really knew His power was above nature, disease, and even death itself we might obey Him more. 

I think this why the Gospels include particular details of Jesus’ time on earth.

• He commanded the weather…and it obeyed.
• He touched the sick and disabled and made them well.
•  He raised the dead.
• He forgave those who were killing him.
• He came to serve and not be served.
• He passed through death and came out alive.

He can be trusted. His love is unmatched. Obedience is the only response.  Obedience doesn’t sound so bad after all. In fact it is where real freedom is found.

The implications are numerous.  Explore them.  Obey His ways and experience His goodness.