successfully. I jumped in and grabbed her (thankfully the pool is small and she was near the edge) wondering if I should hug her or shake her first ( not really). I hugged her of course and was incredibly thankful she was okay. The scare of it all was a natural consequence. Once again, I was reminded and reminded her of the importance of OBEDIENCE and the consequences of DISOBEDIENCE.
It is often through parenting that my appreciation and awe of God increases as does the reality of what I must really look like to Him. It is not rare that at that moment of being incredibly frustrated at the disobedience of my own children and thinking "I can't believe they just disobey me like that," I hear that whisper, "You, little Miss Kristy, are just like them." It's true. I can be soooo disobedient. In fact, I have recently been disobedient and I, like Reese, am suffering some natural consequences.
Here are just a few of God's thoughts on obedience:
1. He deeply desires us to be obedient children because He loves us and desires what is best and most peaceful for our lives.
"I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is BEST for you, who directs you in the way you SHOULD go. IF ONLY you had paid attention to my commands, your PEACE would have been like a river, your righeousness like the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:17 & 18
So how is your obedience my friends? If your life is not peaceful could it be you are not being obedient to how God says you should live? Are you worried? Could it be you are not paying attention to his command to be thankful, lay your request before Him and trust Him? Is there stress within your marriage? Could it be you are not paying attention to His command to submit to and respect your husband? Is your soul empty, anxious, hopeless, or angry? Could it be you are not paying attention to His commands to read and meditate on His words ALL DAY LONG and to BELIEVE His words?
2. We always have a choice: Obey or disobey
"Reject the wrong; choose the right." Isaiah 7:15
REJECT- refuse to accept, consider, grant; Deny; discard as useless and defective; throw away; spit out or vomit
CHOOSE- select from possible alternatives; prefer above another; to want or desire
3. We have all been disobedient, we are all in need of God's mercy, there is only one who was perfectly obedient all the time- His name is Jesus. It is through having His life in us that we have the power to overcome.
"God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have MERCY on them all." Romans 11:32
"There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." Ecclesiastes 7:20
May I encourage you first and foremost to be thankful today for God's mercy. In view of His mercy towards our disobedience may we desire to obey Him and to choose what is right and good rejecting all wrong, all that brings harm to his people and his earth. May we fall on our knees in desperation for His power and strength to flow through us. Remember, "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Jesus tells his disciples to PRAY. May we pray diligently that we would become obedient children for our sake and for the sake of His most Holy Name.
"The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father commanded me." - Jesus
"Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." 1 John 2:6
Blessings from Bombadil. May your soul be watered and may you water another's soul. May our obedience lead many to want our most awesome God!
Kristy Joy Link
