A dear friend of mine asked me to write on the topic of obedience and I obeyed. I am such a willing servant, aren't I? I'm being sarcastic but I do enjoy writing about my walk with God and my experiences -- so here we are.
I remember thinking that I couldn't articulate obedience because it couldn't be taught, I see it as more of a heart posture but then I was reminded that I am not the teacher. Thank God for the Holy Spirit, our helper. Ultimately, it is God who works in us and wills us to do His will and follow His lead. Philippians 2:13
As listed in Strong's Greek Concordance, the Greek word for obey is hypakouo: acting under the authority of the one speaking, i.e. really listening to the one giving the charge (order).
I wanted to define it to get a better feel of what it meant in those times and how it was defined in one of the original languages of the Bible so that nothing is lost in translation.
The word reminds me of children being told to obey their parents or how we're told to obey authority and our elders. Wives are told to submit and obey their husbands (different blog post altogether, I know). We're told to obey the law because we are not above it. Notice how the definition states "acting under", that for me denotes some sort of hierarchy but more than that it shows me that to be under something is also to support that something. Obedience is not passive, it's active - it requires something on our part.
When I hear under, as in under authority, I hear foundation, I hear base support, I hear upholding, I hear serving. I don't hear debasing, I don't hear less than, I don't hear powerless, I don't hear mindlessly following.
I know that as a child, I wasn't the rebellious one (ahem, Hi Sissy!) but I was the one who got disciplined the most. Yes, physically. I had a smart mouth and always talked back to my mom. I'd end up doing what she instructed me to do but it didn't come without a quip from me, sorry Mother! I could not shut my pretty little mouth up! I thank God for showing me to be quick to listen and slow to speak, for showing me His meek ways and patience. We are all a work in progress, aren't we?
Getting popped in my mouth with an aluminum spoon (Dominicans I tell ya) did not work. I needed help and I am way better these days so don't try to lay hands on me now. I always had a strong desire to be right and get the last word but I have since realized the error of my ways and praise God for that! Yes, I have my moments but you can call me out on it, go for it.
I bring up my childhood, foolish ways because in order to realize "the why" of the things we do now we have to think about our past and our learned behavior. At least that's how I like to do it.
Before I got saved, I wasn't very receptive to authority of any kind. There was something about being told what to do that just rubbed me the wrong way. As I reflect on it now, I can see how I was just being a brat and how I just wanted to get my way, and I did get my way most of the time. I wasn't an outlaw but I'd talk back and get my way that way. I always had a way with words and then it was being used to tear down. Look at the enemy, I can't stand that one BUT look at GOD, now using it for good! *Hallelujah hands*
Let's fast forward to JFer now -- the saved one, the woman of God. I now have a relationship with the Lord and like every new relationship, your desire is to learn that person's likes, dislikes, their backstory, what makes them smile, siblings, life goals, upbringing, their character etc. Not only do you want to know all about them but you also want to be with them all of the time. That rare season in life when you feel the most alive and never sleepy -- who doesn't love, LOVE.
That's how my relationship with the Lord started. I just wanted to be in His presence and I wanted to know more about this Jesus character that I kept hearing people shout about in church. I wanted to know more about Jesus, the one they say died for me.
We have to get to a place as believers where the hearsay and they said is overshadowed with what HE SAYS. He says it in His word and He says to you. One of the things I learned by being in His presence and getting to know Him.
What does this have to do with obedience, you ask? As I got to know Him, He revealed more and more of who He is - Father, Healer, Provider, Redeemer, Creator, Holy, Lord, among others. He showed me that I was doing things all wrong, all along. Imagine my surprise? I realized that having things my way didn't always turn out to my benefit, actually it stunted my growth if anything. Having things always go my way left me very broken, hurt and angry because when I didn't get my way, I made it personal. I made it about the person not loving me. I made it about their lack of sympathy. I made it about poor ol' JFer. I'm being very transparent here and I hope this allows you to be transparent with yourselves and/or your closest friends.
So now as follower of Jesus, my daily prayer is that His will be done in my life and on this earth. The prayer Jesus taught his disciples states the same, "your kingdom come, your will be done". Bearing that in that mind, after the revelation came to me that I was going about life in an unfulfilled, selfish way, I knew that doing things my way was not the way. Major turning point here.
I knew that I had to surrender to someone whose wisdom is infinite (Lordship). I knew I had to do as He told me to do no matter how challenging (Obedience). I knew that I wasn't created to just survive (Purpose). I knew that I had some healing that needed to take place in order to continue growing into the woman God has called me to be (Redeemer). I knew that I couldn't do this on my own (Father). I knew that my smart mouth and talking back to God just wasn't going to work. (He don't play that!) I knew that I was fed up with the way my life was going and most of all I knew that I was saved by His grace. (He paid a price. My salvation cost him His life.)
I wasn't saved because I was so lost, I wasn't saved because I needed help, I wasn't saved because I had done a few good deeds, I wasn't saved because I gave money to the church -- I was saved because He loves me. He loves us all and He offers this gift of salvation to all of us. I simply accepted the gift, I made a choice. I knew that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life. That was a divine revelation that came by spending time with Him. Someone didn't just tell me, He showed me. He loved me. I have not known greater love than this.
In closing, I obey because I want to make him proud. I obey because His word tells us to do so. I obey because He died to set me free (from addictions, anger, pain, a poverty mindset, insecurities) and I don't want that to be in vain. I obey because I love my daddy. I obey because He knows what's best and He's not going to ask me to do something He hasn't already made provision for. I obey because I kind of sucked at listening to authority and that got me nowhere fast so now I just listen and obey. Lesson learned there! I obey because He created me and He knows what I was created for so obeying Him would behoove me. I obey because He is Lord and I revere Him. I obey because the obedience of someone else is the reason I am in His arms right now.
I obey because I am nothing without Him. Until we get to this point, we will have a hard time doing what he tells us to do and letting go of what He tells us to let go of. I pray that He reveals to your heart, mind and spirit how much more beauty and hope there is when you do as His word says and you do as He leads. It's glorious! Don't get me wrong there are times when I am bound by fear and I don't move on what He tells me to do but for all those times I didn't move, a hard lesson was learned and next time, I know to just GO. He is an experiential God.
I can't explain why I move when I hear God speak as well as I'd like to but I know that He is the one working on the inside of me so no credit should be given to me. This is why I say I am a mutant, I made a choice to place my life in His hands and I don't know what's next and I didn't know that I'd be here now but I know I can trust Him. I've seen His faithfulness over and over again, in my life and the lives of others.
John 14:15 - "If you love me, you will obey what I command." If this is how he wants us to show Him our love and devotion, then let's pray that we come to love him so much, that we don't question or doubt but we simply obey without ever needing a reason why, simply because He's God.
I thank my friends and pastors for their obedience to God because it has blessed me in one way or another. I pray for obedient hearts in this new year and total surrender to you, Father God. Remove all fear and anxiety and help us return to our first love -- YOU -- because out of this place, the obedience will just flow. Thank you for the testimonies that will come because your people have given up their agendas so that they may be the hands and feet of your great plan of redemption.
There's a saying that goes, "People don't care what you know until they know that you care." Well guys, He cares and I pray that you know Him.
How do I obey? I can't quite explain that. The reason why? Is all that I've expressed here.
Glory to God.
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