How important is obedience? Is it important to you? How about to God?
Obedience is important to God because it proves your love for Him...demonstrates your faithfulness to Him...glorifies Him in the world...and opens avenues of blessing for you.
Your primary motive for obedience should be your love for God. Hence, you obey His commands not because you have to, but because you want to. You hear His Word and act accordingly. You submit to His authority and command. Your obedience reveals what you really believe about Him.
Obedience is the true test. Are you passing it or failing it? In a culture where sin is apparantly "glossed over," do you really care?
Look with me at an example in the Bible where several people failed the test of obedience and how it speaks volumes to us today.
Exodus 16:16-20 says - "This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them."
God gave a positive order through His servant Moses. Actually, He gave a series of instructions concerning the gathering of the manna. Each person was to gather an omer (about two liters) of manna every morning - except on the 6th and 7th days. On the 6th day, he was to gather twice as much so that on the 7th day, he could rest from his labors.
Included in this "manna test" was the specific instruction given that no manna was to be kept overnight - except on the 6th day.
"And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning."
The children of Israel had God's promise that He would provide the "manna" from day to day.
Exodus 16:4 says - "Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no."
Exodus 16:12 adds - "...At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God."
God - Who cannot lie - specifically said that He would "rain bread from heaven" and "in the morning ye shall be filled with bread." He specifically commanded the people to "go out and gather a certain rate every day."
This was a test - a manna test - a test of their willingness to trust and obey God. In and through it, He was teaching them a valuable lesson.
He would have them trust their future needs to Him. They were to "take no thought for tomorrow." They were to realize their absolute dependence upon Him for their "daily bread." They were to live every day upon His providence. They were to learn to go to bed and sleep quietly - having not a bit of bread in their tent or camp - trusting that God would bring them "daily bread" - simply because He said He would. He was teaching them that He was sufficient for their needs. Their daily existence depended exclusively on His gift.
How did they do? Did they pass the test?
Some did; some did not.
Exodus 16:19-20 says - "And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them."
"Some" disregarded the Divine command. For some reason, they felt that they didn't have to obey it. They thought themselves wiser and better managers and hoarded some "manna" - just in case it should fail the next day.
They stored up the "manna" in disobedience. And, their hoarding spoke volumes about them and the condition of their heart.
It exposed their distrust of God's Word - not believing that He would make good His promise. It exposed their greed and covetousness - the desire to have more than their brethren. It exposed their "self-sufficiency" or "false security" - in thinking that their future depended on their own accumulations. Their miserliness manifested their sad distrust of the Providence of God - having fear and anxiety lest the manna should fail on the morrow.
The Pulpit Commentary had this to say in comment - "Man is to live, not for that which is lowest in him, but for that which is highest. Life is to be dependence upon God - for leading; for support. This was the object of the giving of the manna."
What happened to the "manna" that they hoarded? Did they benefit from their disobedience or self-will?
Exodus 16:20 says - "...and it bred worms, and stank..."
The "manna" - the gift from Almighty God - became corrupted and putrefied. It became good for nothing. It was offensive and foul - full of maggots and having a terrible smell. God's judgment was upon it.
The Benson Commentary had this to say in comment - "Thus will that be corrupted in which we do not trust in God, and which we do not employ for His glory."
Rodney W. Francis added this statement - "If we do not get into the flow of simple obedience to the voice of God, our lives will soon produce worms and carry a stench that puts others off from wanting to know Jesus."
And Steve Rodeheaver offered this thought-provoking statement - "When we can't trust our tomorrows (or today's) to the Lord, life generally turns to worms."
In this Bible incident, we have seen how God deals with disobedience. He judges it! In this case, disobedience bred "worms," and "worms" bred a stench.
Imagine that! A supernatural "gift" - a provision from God - an answer to prayer - turned out to be a "tool" for death and destruction. And all because of disobedience!
God doesn't take sin lightly. He will not be disobeyed with impunity.
Look around at many of the churches today. They are dead - spiritually speaking.
Could it be that disobedience has bred "worms," and the "worms" have bred the stench of death?
What about your life?
Are there "worms" in your spiritual life today? Are there areas where you are not walking in obedience to the Lord?
He has spoken to you to do something, yet because of your stubbornness, selfishness, covetousness, greed, unbelief, doubt, fear, pride, etc., you have come up with your own plan.Consequently, you have "worms" that are seemingly eating away at your "blessings."
Don't you think that it is time to get rid of those "worms"?
Repent of any and all disobedience. And then ask the Lord to rid your life of "worms."
Determine from this day forward - that - by the grace of God - you will obey His every command.
No more worms!
No more stench!
Just obedience!
May God Bless His Word,
Connie
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17)
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