Finding Delight in Obedience to God

"But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.'” - 1 Samuel 15:21-23

“This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”- 1 John 5:3

When reading these verses, I think we are faced with a decision- How are we to lead as a church in obedience in 2021? How are we to be obedient in the delight of God?

Obedience matters. Church leadership and courageous obedience matters within the whole Bride of Christ. Saul’s failure is one we all must understand inwardly. We have tendencies like Saul – many, many, many tendencies like Saul. I know I do. I need a Mediator, a Savior, a Kinsman-Redeemer.... I need Jesus Christ.

Recently, my 15-month-old son, Caleb, has begun to exert his will. He wants to knock over the dog bowl, he wants to touch the oven dials, he wants to run into the mud, and he hates diaper changes. Sometimes his disobedience could end in small problems, and sometimes his disobedience could lead to serious pain. Yet, he kicks and screams when I won’t let him go his own way. Isn’t this just like us with God? He knows the best way to live. If only we would trust and obey him. Instead we fight Him, thinking we know the right path.

God hates disobedience because... 1.    Disobedience shows misplaced fear. It shows we do not fear God, but rather fear worldly consequences. 2.    Disobedience is Idolatry. We love ourselves above God.

The Good News is this: God delights in obedience, not perfection. He desires you, all of you and has grace for your failures. His delight comes from Himself and for Himself. He desires your devotion, adoration, and reverence wholly. Yes, even your confession and repentance. God delights in obedience because:

1.    It means He is praiseworthy and reliable. 2.    It guarantees the spread of God's glory

You see friends, our Lord wants us as a church, as holy people, as a fallen people from grace, to depend on the sufficiency and the grace of Jesus Christ. When we focus on obedience, even in weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:9 gives us this beautiful hope, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Following His call of loving gospel-centered obedience wherever it may take us at RiverLakes Community Church is a faith-journey. Whatever hard place you may be in, angst you may be feeling, obstructing force destroying what you love...lean into the Lord in obedience, He knows the way.

I wonder if we, as wounded people, obediently shared our weaknesses together how we could impact the world? What would that look like in your life?

I pray for the liberation of the hand of God over your life in obedience in the commands of the Lord rather than the disobedience of self-fulfillment. I pray you can join and be a part of His gospel work coming alongside a family of believers in a local church where all wounded, broken people can worship the King. I pray your ambassador call of His grace lavished upon you. May you come to the altar once again, reader, and drink from His ever-abundant presence of obedience delight.