2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Jeremiah 11-13 GW; Hebrews 1 GW
God loves obedience.
Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church, has a saying, “You do the parts of the Bible you believe.” In other words, we pick and choose what we like and don’t like. When I was single, following God, I ignored the part about premarital sex. As a result, I endured heartbreak after heartbreak, never finding the connection I deeply craved. What I didn’t realize, only God could fill that void. Until I became obedient to Him, I didn’t learn the lesson.
Hitting rock bottom is something you never forget. Mine came around the age of 30, broke and alone; life appeared hopeless. Praise God; He gave me a mother who taught me where to look at times like these:
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Coming back to God was the best decision of my life. I told Him, “My way ain’t working, I’m going try Yours.” Which meant I paid attention to the part about premarital sex. Over the following years, as I became more and more obedient to God, I realized something.
God’s commands protect us.
Obedience to God protects you from yourself. No one hurts you more than you hurt yourself. When I ate two pieces of birthday cake, gaining a pound, no one forced me. My actions caused the reaction. God knows that about us. He understands we make poor choices. His word helps us make better choices, ones that won’t hurt us.
Not sleeping with men didn’t hurt me; it helped me. I began to realize; sex blurs our objectivity. But taking time to build a healthy relationship protects your heart and body from pain. As my husband loves to say, “He’s more committed with the ring on his finger.”
Choose one thing, become obedient to God in that area. Watch as He draws you close and makes you His in a way you’ve never experienced before.
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Lord, thank You for Your word, our instruction book for life. Forgive us for picking and choosing the parts we like. Help us today become more obedient in our lives. Equip us for the journey as you draw us closer to You. IJNIP. Amen
Question for reflection
What’s one area you can become obedient to God in today?
