OBEDIENCE

John 14:21Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

²¹ The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet. He couldn’t hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff.

So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something. “HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? “HELP!” He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice.

“Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?”

“Yes, yes! I can hear you. I’m down here!”

“I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?”

“Yes, but who are you, and where are you?

“I am the Lord, Jack. I’m everywhere.”

“The Lord? You mean, GOD?”

“That’s Me.”

“God, please help me! I promise if, you’ll get me down from here, I’ll stop sinning. I’ll be a really good person. I’ll serve You for the rest of my life.”

“Easy on the promises, Jack. Let’s get you off from there, then we can talk.”

“Now, here’s what I want you to do. Listen carefully.”

“I’ll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do.”

“Okay. Let go of the branch.”

“What?”

“I said, let go of the branch.” Just trust Me. Let go.”

There was a long silence.

Finally Jack yelled, “HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?”

Obedience can be hard to do even as adults. Especially when we can’t see what the outcome will be or when it costs us something. Obedience and trust go hand and hand. When we make up our minds to obey God not out of an obligation but out of and deep love and faith in Him is when I believe He is most glorified. His Word say that both obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22) and that obedience to Him commands his blessing (Deut. 28:1-2).  I am reminded of an old song I used to sing as a child.

“Trust and obey

For there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus

Than to trust and obey” 

As your obedience is tested be reminded that God sees you just as he saw Abraham. That in your obedience to Him, He may reveal Himself faithful to you and make a way where there seems to be none. Trust and obey!