Obedient Love

The incentive to obedience is divine love: "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 5:5). We may know we ought to obey God; however, if there is an inadequate supply of divine love in our life, we will not have the essential resources to obey God.

One axiomatic truth of Christian discipleship is this: Where there is a deficiency in our love for God there will be a difficulty in obeying God; conversely, where there is a fullness of love for God there will be an ease in obeying God. Understandably then, as Christians we need to take care that our love toward God is growing and healthy so that we might joyfully obey God.

Bible history is replete with those whose lives are readily identified by their love and obedience toward God. Abraham is one example. Note these three characteristic responses of prompt obedience:

Obedience One: "'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land 1 will show you. . . .' So Abram left. . . ." (Gen. 12:1,4).

Obedience Two: "'This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. . . .' On that very day . . . every male in Abram's household . . . was circumcised" (Gen. 17: 10.23.27).

Obedience Three: "Then God said. 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering. . . .' Early the next morning . . . Abraham set out. . . ." (Gen. 22:2-3).

From Abraham's life of obedient love we may make the following observations:

TO LOVE GOD IS TO OBEY GOD--EVEN AT THE RISK OF BEING MISUNDERSTOOD.

It is natural to want those significant others in our life to be under- standing of the critical choices we believe we have made in the will of God. It's not difficult to imagine loved ones questioning Abraham's decision to leave home under the circumstances. But for the believer, to know the will of God is to do the will of God. If God says it, that settles it--even at the risk of being misunderstood.

TO LOVE GOD IS TO OBEY GOD--REGARDLESS OF THE CON- SEQUENCES.

After Abraham determined what the will of God was he acted. One never need feel insecure when he has underneath him the sure Word of God. Faith leaves the consequences with God. He knows the outcome, we don't need to. Love obeys; God provides.

TO LOVE GOD IS TO OBEY GOD--ALTHOUGH IT MAY INVOLVE PERSONAL INCONVENIENCE.

It couldn't have been convenient for Abraham to leave Mom and Dad, siblings and a settled life in exchange for uncertainty, sacrifice and earthly insecurity. Abraham was no different from the rest of us, except maybe in this one thing: to him, to do the will of God was more important than clinging to things. As George MacDonald once wrote: "God never begins a new work in us until first of all we leave something behind." Abraham left everything behind--even though it may have been personally inconvenient.

TO LOVE GOD IS TO OBEY GOD--IMPLICITLY.

Implicit means "without doubting, hesitating, or asking questions." The life of Abraham could be summed up in the words of Hebrews 11 :8. "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed . . ." (NASB). He responded to God without doubting, hesitating, or asking questions. Because he loved God he obeyed God--implicitly. Whether it was leaving Haran, instituting the covenant of circumcision. or offering up his son Isaac, this lover and obeyer of God obeyed His Lord implicitly because he loved Him immensely.

The story is told that when the Roman General Titus was besieging Jerusalem in the year 71 A.D. that starvation and plague broke out in the city. One of the Jewish leaders. Rabbi ben Zecai, broke through the enemy line and made his way to Titus's tent. Prostrating himself before the general the rabbi pleaded, "My Lord, spare this city, where there are so many women and innocent children!"

Titus countered. "You're lying, old rabbi!"

"But what lie have I told you?" the old man asked in astonishment.

"The lie," answered Titus, "is the first word you spoke. You called me 'Lord.' If I am 'Lord,' why don't you open the gates of the city and receive me with triumphal arches and flowers? If I am 'Lord,' why don't you obey me!"

So true.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ our life is to be characterized by obedient love. If there is a problem in our obedience, we may safely conclude that there is a problem with our love. By opening our heart to the fullness of God's love we will receive the incentive and power to do the will of God--to obey God.