Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Obedience

Today’s Reading; Matthew 1-4

How well do you obey divine directives? On an obedience scale of 1-10 (with 1 being “consistently disobedient,” 10 being “consistently obedient”), how would you rate yourself?

Today’s reading abounds with examples of the importance of obedience. The genealogy of chapter one sparkles with the names of those who obeyed God in times of spiritual decadence: Abraham, Ruth, David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Joseph. Chapter 3 describes the ministry of John the Baptist as he preached message of repentance and fruit bearing, a message of demanding uncompromising obedience. In chapter 4, Jesus was obedient to God’s will and Word, rather than to agree to Satan’s subtle temptations.

In what area of your life is God speaking to you about obedience? It is one thing to know what God wants you to do; it is something else to make obedience a commitment in your daily schedule. In the margin or on a piece of paper, write the acts of obedience performed by three different people in the genealogy (for example, Abraham obeyed God by leaving Ur).  Now add your name to the list, together with an act of obedience you will undertake by faith today.

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