Obedience Equals Love

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!  ~Psalm 119:2,3

Keeping God's testimonies speaks of obedience. While a large segment of today's Christianity attempts to “get right” with God by sacrificing time or money, He declares here in His Word there is a blessing for those who are obedient. Obedience is not something we just talk about, it is something we do and the lack of it in our lives cannot be balanced out with a bigger offering on Sunday. God prefers the obedience of His people over silver, gold, big new churches or a dozen new ministries. Samuel the prophet hit the nail right on the head.

And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”  ~1 Samuel 15:22

Our day by day and moment by moment commitment to God's Word indicates many things. One thing it indicates is how much we love Him and the Savior who gave His life for ours. It is out of our love for God that the desire to do those things He calls us to do comes from. Obedience to His Word blesses us in many ways and by it Christians secure divine fellowship. Jesus talked to the disciples about obedience.

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”  ~John 14:23

The psalm writer also mentioned there is a blessing for those who seek God with the whole heart. How do we accomplish that? To seek God is to have a sincere desire to know His will and to do it, without hypocrisy, selfishness, or some other vain reason. God knows our hearts intimately and there is nothing hidden from Him, so it would be impossible for us to fool God by only seeking Him outwardly. The desire of our hearts must be knowing God and our Savior. If we truly want to know Him, He promised us we would find Him.

But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.  ~Deuteronomy 4:29

Were we obedient this past week? Did we seek God by doing those things which please Him or did we choose to go our own way? Remember the lack of obedience is where transgression begins. If you haven't been blessed lately, ask yourself if you have been obedient. Ask yourself “Have I stopped looking for God?”

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”  ~Isaiah 55:6,7