Blessings of Obedience

As a parent, OBEDIENCE is a huge word! We always want our children to obey us...especially in public or when we are around family and friends! I remember when my kiddos were young and I would always get embarrassed when they would act out in front of others. It seemed, at the time, that their obedience was seen as a reflection as my role as a mother. If they were "bad" then I was a "bad" parent.  As I have gotten older, mmmmm wiser, I have  realized that we can't always control our children and that they are NOT always obedient despite our teaching, instruction, and discipline. They will ultimately make their own choices, but hopefully they will rely on what Jeff and I have taught them and ultimately on the ways of the Lord as they become older and wiser too.

Isn't this how we are with God, our Father?  He guides, directs, instructs, disciplines...and we, as children of God, make choices...to follow Him or disobey Him. Is He a bad father? Absolutely not! Are our choices a reflection of the type of father He is? Nope! Obedience is a choice of our own free will. Just like our children are given free will to make their own choices, so are we! But what are the consequences of the choices we make? What happens when we obey? What happens when we rebel? Blessings for Obedience! Curses for Rebellion!

Deuteronomy 28-30 tells us the consequences of our obedience and disobedience! I have spent some time in these chapters over the last week and I have realized the depth of our obedience with God. He clearly states that if we fully obey Him and carefully keep His commands that he will set us FREE and we will experience all the blessings that He has promised long ago. Disobedience results in curses, confusion, frustration, abandonment, discouragement, and defeat. It seems so clear, but yet it is so hard!

The Living Free series has given me some new insights on the birds of the air and the beasts of the field, the enemies who darken our world and attack us on a daily basis. Satan is on the prowl and ready to destroy and devour God's children whenever given the opportunity. Does God allow this to happen? Absolutely. Does He take joy in this? Absolutely NOT. He is a loving, compassionate God that desires the best for us. He wants to bless us just like we want to bless our own children. But He also wants us to understand that with disobedience comes curses and consequences. He calls us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and to walk in His ways. When we turn from Him, it breaks His heart and He desires nothing more than for us to turn from our sinful ways and turn back to Him. He does this with open arms and a forgiving heart. His love never fails! His mercies are new each morning!!

So, what is the bottom lin? We need to realize the danger of our disobedience.  When we are disobedient to God, we will be attacked even more. The birds of the air and the beasts of the field are ready to pounce on us!! Is there freedom in that? NO WAY! We are in chains, in bondage, and no where near freedom!!  Read the following verses to give you more perspective on God's view of disobedience:

• Deuteronomy 28:25 states that "the Lord will cause you to be defeated by your enemies. You will attack your enemies from one direction, but you will scatter from them in seven! You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. Your corpses will be food for all the scavenging birds and wild animals and no one will be there to chase them away." 
• Deuteronomy 28:45 says "If you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and to obey the commands and decrees he has given you , all these curses will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants forever. If you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. You will be left hungry , thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The Lord will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until he has destroyed you." 

You can keep reading about the curses that will come upon you and the devastation that comes with your disobedience....but if you are anything like me, these verses can terrify you. I have come to a point in my life where I see His anger and fury as real, but yet I am no longer fearful of Him in this regard. I have a fear of reverence for Him, not a fear of  His wrath. I am in awe of Him, of His grace and of His mercy on my life. He is a God who loves and continues to show mercy, compassion, grace, patience, love and more even though I am undeserving. He is not out to crush me, destroy me, or condemn me! Romans 8:1 states that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". He doesn't want to destroy us, to curse us, to condemn us to the point of turning us away from Him and fearing Him. Instead, He  wants us to come to Him, just as we are...humbling ourselves at His feet and asking for forgiveness for our wayward hearts. He wants us to open our hearts to Him so that  He may refine us and purify us in order that we may be a light for Him in this broken world.

Deuteronomy 30 is a message for all of us. It is a call for us to return to the Lord. Will you humble yourselves? Will you allow Him to break you so that He may restore your soul? His promises are unbelievable and His love is forever faithful to those who return to Him!! Deuteronomy 30 shows us His love and compassion for each of us. He promises to restore our fortunes, to show us mercy and to gather us back from the scattered lands. He promises to make us more prosperous than our ancestors. He promises to CHANGE our hearts so that we will love Him with all our heart and soul and that we may LIVE!! He promises to make us successful in all we do and cause our fields to produce abundant harvests!! Oh, Lord....you are so gracious and abounding in LOVE!!

This is a CHOICE for each of us....between abundant life with prosperity OR death with disaster. If we walk in His ways, the blessings are endless!! If we turn away and refuse to listen, you will not live a long, good life! FREEDOM comes to those who are obedient and follow HIM with full SURRENDER!!

Deuteronomy 30: 11-20

"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. ¹² It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ¹⁴ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
¹⁵ See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. ¹⁶ For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, ¹⁸ I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

......It is YOUR choice!!