“My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep my commands;
For length of days and long life
And peace they will add to you.” (Proverbs 3:1, 2)
Obedience from the heart is the first evidence of belonging. We don’t remember God’s laws and keep his commandments in order to become God’s children. We obey because of who we already are. Our perfect and holy Parent longs for obedience that flows from—and provides evidence for—a relationship of love and trust.
Obedience from the heart is the first evidence of belonging to God.
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Certainly, we want our children to get along with others, obey house rules, and be kind to their siblings, but unless their good behavior flows from a desire to please God and to live in right relationship with him, we’re just producing a generation of rule-followers.
This Sunday, let’s commit ourselves to obedience that flows from a desire to please our Father and to glorify him in everything we do.
Holding you in the light,
Certainly, we want our children to obey house rules, but unless their good behavior flows from a desire to please God and to live in right relationship with him, we’re just producing a generation of rule-followers.
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A lot of modern Christians bristle at the word “obey,” but Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” But if we keep the relationship in mind and let obedience flow from love, it takes the sting out of it.
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The images in scripture —God as Father, God as faithful husband— sure do reinforce what you have said here.
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This is so true, Michele, “Obedience from the heart is the first evidence of belonging.” Heart obedience flows from love, while rule-followers are avoiding disciplinary action which is fear based.
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And I would argue that the latter is a misrepresentation of the gospel. I certainly see why it’s so easy to fall into the fallacy that our obedience is what seals our belonging. It gives us a feeling of “control,” but it’s definitely not the path to peace.
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“Obedience of the heart is first evidence of belonging” – that truly is profound Michele. When I think about my initial obedience, growing up in an faith that believed we wouldn’t know if we had been good enough to make it into heaven until judgement – there was an element of “works to buy” God’s good favor. Yet, when we obey out of love, a desire to please (not to purchase) our Father – that is probably when I first started owning that belonging.
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We’re always and forever getting the cart and the horse backwards, thinking that its our obedience that drives our belonging, when God really wants our hearts.
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