Obedience from the Heart

Wedding vows use to contain the words, "to love, honor, and OBEY!"  The word "obey" stuck in the throats of many brides--and thus, could not be swallowed.  Why?  I believe because too many  husbands flexed their  muscles by beating (verbally or physically) their brides into submission.  Thus the word OBEY has  been misused  and misinterpreted--used as a weapon, spoken as a threat.  The meaning of the word OBEY is "to listen attentively, answer and respond, submit without reservation."  Beating people into submission is the wrong way...extending loving grace produces a willingness to respond in the right way.

In Acts 6:17 - ..."you OBEYED from the heart...".  This is the way the Lord wants us to obey--from our hearts.  Not out of duty, but out of a desire to please our Lord.  Not out of a phelio love (a conditional kind of love... a you scratch my back--I'll scratch your back kind of love) but an agape love (unconditional--no strings attached--totally giving myself to you kind of love).

The only way I can try to love someone that I simply don't like is to try to see them through Jesus' eyes.  The only way I can serve the unlovlies of this world is to do it for Jesus--because He asked me to.  And when I truly  OBEY and try to love them and draw closer to see their needs, then I'm more willing to help them and accept them.  Then I can begin to love them.  For by the grace of God go I!   If I remember that He saved me and extended grace and mercy to me--I surely must extend what He's given to me onto others.  This is how we "bear fruit" --"The Fruit of the Spirit."  What is this fruit?  It is found in Galatians 5: 22-23.  The only way to grow and mature that fruit is by being obedient to what He's asked us to do--for obedience leads to righteousness.  We're to walk in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  That's a life of GRACE!

To KNOW Him is to LOVE Him; and to LOVE Him is to SERVE Him!  Walk in obedience to The Word today!