Obedience, Our Gift to God

It was said of Jesus, “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).  This principle is out there for all to see—it’s not just some for some selected initiates, it’s for all Jesus’ followers.  If it was required of Him “to learn” obedience, how much more His followers.

And how did He learn obedience?  The secret is hidden and obvious at the same time.  After Jesus had amazed the scholars in the temple at His Bar-Mitzpha, answering their questions and asking them others, the record says:  “Then He went down with them [His parents] and came to Nazareth, and was subject [obedient] to them…” (Luke 2:51).  As a result of being submissive to His parents “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 1:52).

Obedience preserved Jesus for the most momentous moment of His life, death on the Cross.  “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

From that humbling of Himself look at what followed:  “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9, 10).

Obedience paves the way for ruling.  Beyond this, it’s simply the best way to live.  To illustrate this Isaiah first recounted Israel’s history and, speaking for the Lord, said, “’If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword’; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 1:19, 20).  They weren’t willing and they were obedient, history tells us the rest.

Will you be more willing, will you be more obedient?  “Obedience to God is the most infalliable evidence of sincere and supreme love to him”, said Nathaniel Emmons.

God cannot command obedience, He simply provides the setting in which it can spring forth.  Freely given, our obedience pleases God beyond measure and opens up His treasure house of blessing and causes us to walk in His deepest purposes now and in the life to come.  Are you willing?