WEEK 16 – DAY 1

TRUST AND OBEY

But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Luke 11:28

A woman in the crowd had just shouted out how blessed the mother who had given birth to and nursed Jesus must be. Jesus did not discount that Mary was blessed, but He explained that the greatest blessing comes to those who not only hear God’s message but obey it. You may be saying, “Wait! I thought we were saved by grace apart from works!” Yes, Ephesians 2:8-9 is true. Our salvation is not dependent upon our ability to earn or deserve it. However, the next verse is true as well: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Our obedience does not save us or keep us saved. However, it is the path to true contentment and the evidence of the change God has made in our lives. If your children disobey, you still love them. However, you may need to discipline them; and there may be tension. When they are obeying the rules of your house, life is much smoother for them. We are God’s children if we have trusted in Jesus. When we are disobedient to our Father, there is tension until we confess and ask His forgiveness. The old hymn says, “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus.” Note it does NOT say obedience is the way to salvation, but the way to happiness. Are you walking in obedience or in the frustration of tension between you and your heavenly Father? If there is tension, there is a remedy found in God’s word. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Father, we thank You that our salvation does not depend upon our obedience because we know we can never perfectly meet Your standard of righteousness on our own. We are grateful that Jesus covered us with His righteousness by dying on the cross for us. Help us to obey You in order to live contentedly. Thank You for forgiving us when we fail to do so.