Today’s Verse:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” —John 14:15
Your Challenge: Determine to obey God in every area of your life.
Today’s Devotional
My youngest son, Ezra, is at the chubby toddler phase. Before you respond with an “Aw, how sweet,” you should also know he’s already a first-class rebel.
Plug-ins are our current battle ground. He’ll reach his tiny fingers toward a cord plugged into the wall, only to hear a stern, “No!” from me or his daddy. Next thing we know, he’s smiling a chubby-faced grin at us while simultaneously reaching for the cord again.
We move him to a different part of the room.
We tap his little hand as a warning.
Our “no’s” get louder, more firm.
And over and over again, he looks at us, grins, and reaches for the cord.
No one has to teach us to disobey. It’s part of our sin nature, inherited from our fallen parents. And yet we cannot fully experience and enjoy God’s love and disobey Him. Revival and obedience are forever linked.
Each act of disobedience is a step away from God. Likewise, each act of obedience is a step toward Him. . . .
If we were completely honest, many of us would admit that we already know one or more more specific steps of obedience we need to take in order to return to the Lord. Perhaps there is something God has told us to do that we’ve not yet done; something we continue to do that we know is not pleasing to Him; or some limit we have placed on what we are willing to do for Him.1
As you’ve sought the Lord in these days, He likely has exposed a “cord” or two, patterns of thinking or behavior where you’ve resisted God’s instruction and chosen rebellion. Spend time in prayer today telling Him that you know His law is given for your good and you long to obey Him more and more.
Look Up: Seeking Him in Praise
Thank the Lord for being a kind and wise Father. Acknowledge that you want to obey Him more.
Look In: Seeking Him for Our Own Hearts
Confess any areas where you are struggling to obey the Lord in this season.
Look Out: Seeking Him on Behalf of Others
Pray that the Lord would make the Church an obedient church, willing to follow the commands of Scripture regardless of the opinions and shifts of culture.
Reflect and Respond:
- Listen to this episode of the Revive Our Hearts podcast: “Obedience Will Lead to Joy.”
- Read Psalm 19. According to this passage, what are some of the rewards of knowing and obeying God’s Word?
1 Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom, Seeking Him: Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival (Chicago: Moody, 2004), 70.
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