I remember being a kid and growing up in the church. We would sing this song about Obedience that went like this “Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe: Doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily. Action is the key–do it immediately, the joy you will receive! Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe. O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E (Yes, sir!) Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.” I was looking for a YouTube video of this song, but they were all to cheesy and lame to put on the site, so I will just let you imagine how the tune went and link a Keith Green song instead.
This challenge of obedience has come up in my life lately in a major way. Obedience and sacrifice seems all good and romantic in theory, but when God calls you to do something outside of the ordinary or contradictory to what culture would say, all those romanticized ideas and fuzzy feelings quickly go away and we are left with a choice. When we are left with that choice to obey or not then the Obedience song in all it’s cheer and innocence becomes a curse. Because of our stubborn and fearful nature, obedience is sometimes the last thing we want to do.
Obedience to God is easy when its our voice we are listening to, but when it is God’s voice it becomes hard for some reason. I think this is mostly because our voice tells us what we want, but Gods voice tells us what He wants. God clearly says in his Word that He requires obedience before sacrifice. Those in the Bible who sacrificed outside of obedience had kingdoms torn out of their hands and stepped out of the blessing of God.
How does this look in your life? What are the things God is calling you to that you are ignoring or running from? My challenge to you, STOP RUNNING AND OBEY. When we walk in obedience there is freedom, yes it is scary and unknown, but it is freeing. Seriously, STOP RUNNING, turn around and obey. When God is calling us to something our obedience always leads to freedom and life, never to captivity and death.
Can I hear an AMEN?
I have gone to church all my life, on Sundays and Wednesdays, and I have never heard that song. I remember when AWANA was sonlight, I’m that old. But I never heard of it till today.