Obedience

"O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E,  Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe." 

I used to sing the words to this song as a child.  Carefully spelling out the word obedience, so proud of myself for not mixing up the i and the e.  Now I realize the poems and songs we learn as children are meant to teach us lessons that go far deeper than correct spelling.  But those simple lessons are the foundation for building a strong life in Christ.

I have learned hard lessons in obedience this week.  It has been a long time since I have looked deep into my heart, my attitudes, and my actions to realize the sin that has been lurking there.  It is so easy to push the little seeds of bitterness under the rug, or hide that rebellion in the shadows,  or disguise the pride with masks of religion.  But I have been exposed.  The light has come into this hardened heart and pointed out all those wretched sins that darken and enslave me.  I am undone in the light of His holiness, and the only thing I can do is confess, repent, and pray for His strength to fill me.

This silly example of my foolishness this week may be humorous, but God finds no humor in sin.  I have had trouble recently finding comfort in food instead of the Lord and have been eating out more than I should (it doesn't help that we live near "breakfast row" complete with Biscuitville, Bojangles, and Cracker Barrel).  My husband has asked me not to eat out quite so much to help our budget and my waistline, but I am often found running through the drive thru, just for a snack.  I knew the Lord wanted me to respect my husband, but the Cranberry Orange muffins with sugar crystals on top were calling my name.  I rationalized it away, thinking at least I wasn't buying sausage biscuits with gravy (this time) muffins were much healthier.  As I pulled up and placed my order, just dreaming of the satisfying sweetness that awaited, the cashier told me it would be 3 minutes for my order and to please pull forward.  No problem, I thought.  As I waited ten minutes in the car (gas wasting) my patience grew thin.  How long does it take to warm up a crazy muffin? I asked aloud to the radio.  Impatience grew into anger and anger into full blown wrath.  As the fifteen minute mark passed I parked the car, slammed the door, and stomped inside the restaurant to see what was taking so long?!?  You could see fumes rising from my head as I stood in the back of the long line glaring at the cashier.   He glanced my way and I seized the moment to sarcastically say "Drive thru!" as I pointed outside to my car.  He sheepishly told his manager behind him to fill the order, and she apologized as she handed me my order, which I snatched away quickly with a quiet "thank you."  I arrived back home with goodies in hand only to find that my children had been wreaking havoc on their rooms as my husband got ready for work.  They had dumped toys, clothes, books, and whatever else they could find all over the floor and had pulled on the window blinds so hard they fell off and broke in two.  Of course, my anger got the better of me over that and the entire morning was spent wallowing in sin.

The point of this story is that sin breeds sin.  My one little self indulgence, that I knew was wrong, led to impatience, anger, wrath, malice, strife, and the list goes on and on.  I had done the things that God hates.  I had grieved my Lord and my God.  If I had only chosen to OBEY. . . the day could have been beautiful, but instead the day was wrecked with sin and consequences of sin. 

This little experience woke me up to other sins in my life and I learned I can choose not to sin.  I am not a slave to sin, because He has made me free!  Free in Christ!  I also learned that His Spirit leads me, if only I am willing to listen.  His still, small voice of peace is leading and directing my steps, He wants to tell me His will and His way.  He wants me to be holy.

"Be ye holy, for I am holy."

So this sin needs to leave, Christ needs to reign.  He longs for me to be like Him - Holy.  The first step is obedience.