Tag Archives: obedience

January 31
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“As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’

    “Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. ‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.” (Matthew 20:29-34, NIV)

The response of the two blind men to the miraculous gift they had received from Jesus was obedience.  They “followed him.”  One cannot follow unless (or until) he/she is willing to obey.

God, by His grace, showers us with innumerable blessings.  When we receive any blessing from Christ, do we follow in His steps? When God is generous to us, do we imitate His generosity?  When God forgives us our trespasses, do we follow his example by forgiving those who have trespassed against us; or, does Jesus continue on His way while we chart our own, different, course?

To their great credit, the two healed men responded to God’s blessings by following the One that had shown them mercy. What is our response to God’s love and mercy?  – Luther

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January 30
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“I have more understanding then the elders, for I obey your precepts.” (Psalm 119:100, NIV)

Most people gain knowledge through the so-called “school of hard knocks,” and they obtain understanding through trial and error.   However, there is an easier, faster, and less painful way to acquire the wisdom of the sages: Obedience to God’s word.

It feeds our ego to “be in charge,” but we must resist this Sirens call. None of us are clever enough, often enough, to consider all of the angles in a decision; but through simple obedience to even the most mundane of God’s commandments, the grace, the peace, and the life we seek will come to us.  – Luther

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January 24
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“Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.” (Exodus 9:20-21, NIV)

Today’s scripture from the account of God’s liberation of the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt serves to remind us of two critically important things: (1) God’s invitation to life and salvation is for everyone; and (2) acceptance of that invitation through obedience leads to life, while the refusal of that invitation through disobedience leads to destruction.

The disciple of Jesus does well to remember that God loves all of His creatures, and the measure of that love is the extent to which God goes to provide the alternative to our certain destruction and death.  The key to life is our acceptance of God’s way through obedience, as was the case with the Egyptians who chose to obey God by doing a singular, common act: Recalling their slaves and the livestock to the shelters for refuge from the hailstorm they believed was coming.

Never underestimate the power of a singular, seemingly common, act of godly obedience.  – Luther

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