The importance of Obedience!

Obedience is an important virtue! The human heart is so prone to breaking the moral and ethical rules of the society that we need a figure of authority or a Word of authority to keep us from straying! As parents, we want our children to obey us not because we love to throw our weight around and boss over them. It is because we do not want them to commit the same mistakes and suffer! We may not be able to explain the reasons always, but if they can just obey, they can be saved from many problems! Many times, life opportunities are lost permanently due to disobedience! My mother, who was an excellent pianist tried teaching me to play the piano. But I did not practice enough and learn from her, and thus, I lost a great opportunity in my life, forever! Parents are the authority figures in a child's life, and parents are the representatives of God Himself. A child who learns to obey the parents early will be able to obey God later in life!

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible has a lot to say about obedience. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 15:22, "To obey is better than sacrifice …" As I meditated on the seven beatitudes (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14) from the Book of Revelation, the importance of obedience stood out. Of the seven beatitudes, three speak of obedience and the others speak of the direct blessings flowing out of that obedience! Unlike the beatitudes in Matthew's gospel (Mt. 5:3-10), the beatitudes of Revelation have a finality about them for the time is near and the Lord is coming soon. Revelation 22:7 says, "… Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."This beatitude completely mirrors the first one in Revelation 1:3: "Blessed is he who reads … and keep those things which are written in it."Revelation 22:14: "Blessed are those who do His commandments ..." Only those who have been obedient to the Word during their lifetime will have garments of righteousness and will be invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb! They do not have to fear the second death for they have the right to the Tree of life!

My friend, let us obey the Word implicitly now for after our time on earth is over, we cannot change anything! The opportunity to the Tree of life will be lost forever!

Categories: Weekly DevotionalsAuthor: Hephzibah StephenDate: 25th June 2019 Share: newsletterDisplay date: 3rd July 2019

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