Friday, April 07, 2006

Obedience

I was involved in teaching a weekend seminar here at America's KESWICK on a particularly difficult topic. Well the topic itself isn't difficult but to most wives it is very difficult. Add to that mix that the women I was speaking to were women whose husband's are either currently in the Colony of Mercy or have been in the past which means their husband's have been involved in addiction as a lifestyle.
Our topic on this particular weekend was the unconditional call of God for women to respect their husband's. The teaching was based on a book by Emerson Eggerich: Love and Respect which expounds on Ephesians 5:33, "Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
Some of the women okay more that some, really struggled with this biblical command. I finally said to them, "Your argument is not with me nor the author of the book, your argument is with God, it's His word."
I was out walking the following Monday on a beautiful, sunny, warm day rehearsing my Scripture memory verses when I came across Romans 11:33-12:1, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?' 'Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?' For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."
That alone would be sufficient to give us cause to delight in our obedience to the Lord, simply because He is worthy. But the verse continues, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship." It's when I read the last verse that it hit me. Our obedience to whatever the command of God may be is a spiritual act of worship, an act of worship. That puts things into a fresh perspective. Obedience is not about what others are doing or not doing, it's about our relationship with Jesus Christ and our desire to worship Him through our obedience.

Diane

No comments: