From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more, John 6:6-7
Do you find that being obedient to God is hard?
We cannot stay where we are at and go with God at the same time. We cannot continue to do things our way and accomplish God’s will. Say these three statements out loud if possible. 1) I cannot stay where I am and go with God at the same time. 2) Obedience is costly to me and to those around me. 3) Obedience requires total dependence on God to work through me. Let’s look at statement 2. We can not know or do the will of God if we are not willing to adjust our life to God and obey him. This is the cost of obeying Him. In John 6:6-7, Jesus disciples turn away because of the cost of obedience. Are you willing to pay the price?
We need to stay flexible to God. If God is calling us to His work, them we have to adjust our plans and programs to His doing. WE are God’s servants. We adjust, we make chances to join God and what He is doing. If God is Lord of our life then He can interrupt out lives at anytime. Yet, we don’t expect Him to do that. We don’t expect Him to expect us to change our plans or that He would ever ask us too.
The cost of obedience is also enduring opposition. In 2 Corinthians 11: 23-33 says, Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. What are some cost from this passage that Paul had to pay for following and obeying God?
Sometimes obedience to God’s will leads to opposition and misunderstandings. Paul suffered much for obeying and following Christ. It was more than a person could bear. Paul did not have these burdens until He started following and obeying Christ. Yet, through it all Paul was still able to say this from Phil. 3:10-12, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, 3or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Our adjustment and obedience with God will also cost us. Have you had this kind of experience with God that costed you?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving us. Thank you for being patient with us. I pray that we will stand boldly in obedience to you no matter what it costs us. I pray that we will be strong and courageous just as Paul was.
In Jesus Name
Amen
