Obedience

Obedience. The dictionary defines it as “compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.” I don’t know about you but compliance with an order from another authority doesn’t sit easy with me. I’m the type-A personality. The one who likes to get things done. And to be honest, I like to be fully in control. Because of that, obedience never comes easy to me. It’s very hard for me to realize I’m not in control but someone else is.

This is probably why the newlywed time in marriage was hard for me. I was in a battle for control. But as the years have gone by I have learned that allowing Greg to fully lead gives me so much peace.  Marriage is the perfect example of another relationship.

Our relationship with our Maker. That’s right – God. God wants us to submit to Him as well. He wants to be the lead of our life. My life. Your life. Wouldn’t you be filled with much more peace if you were to step back and allow God to lead you? If you are not a Jesus follower than I challenge you to read the book of Genesis. You will see through that book that how God moves when obedience happens and when it doesn’t.

How do we obey? It’s difficult, I have been a Jesus follower for a long time and I still struggle with obedience. But it’s the small things. It’s spending time with Him daily. It’s reading your Bible. It’s hiding God’s word in your heart. Loving others around you. As you deepen your faith you start finding ways that you can allow yourself to submit to another’s [God’s] authority.

The Lord is the Great Shepherd. Did you know that the main responsibility of a shepherd is the safety and welfare of the flock? Wouldn’t it be great to think the same of God? If you allow him the position of Shepherd, then he will keep lead you. That sounds great to me. I need to be led. And remember this doesn’t mean nothing bad will happen to you. Because it is certain in this life we will have trouble. But having a leader and obeying Him with what He calls you to will give you peace.

I always tell my kids…obey first. Maybe I needed to be reminded of that as well.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:10-11

Oh You Of Little Faith

This morning I was reading a book for my quiet time. It’s called Stuck by Jennie Allen. And it’s a workbook study. You know where you read some and write some. It is really a great study so far. You draw pictures, journal, ponder on a thought, etc. Really great for any learning style.

Anyway, I stumbled upon something that I knew I needed to blog about. WORRY. Everyone struggles with it!

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

After I read these verses I was reminding what I always struggle with. I seem to believe a lie that God has much bigger things to worry about then little ole me. There are kids starving in Africa, sex trafficking everywhere, fighting in the middle East, and so on and so on and so on. Those things are going on. But I’ve got to stop believing this lie. God does care about what I wear, what I eat, and what I do. This means he cares about how I discipline the kids, how I get everything done, etc.

Everyday I have an internal struggle about this. But this morning God pointed out these verses to me – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” What a perfect clear way of saying – “Look to me, Rachael. I care about everything you do Rachael. And STOP worry about everything! I love you.”

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