It's All About Obedience. But Why?


When you get down to it, There’s a God who created us and desires a relationship with us, but the functionality of that relationship hinges on OBEDIENCE on our part. Here is where the cart and horse thing comes into play: when your obedience to the commands of God as spelled out in His Holy Word is a legalistic means to an end in order to expect God’s blessings and to escape damnation, your RELATIONSHIP with God will not be at all be what He desires for you. In this condition, you are really still in control of your life and destiny, or so you think and act. Yet, when you have a RELATIONSHIP with God based upon the love He has shown you, in which you understand that He gave His Son to save you from death and destruction and has delivered you, then your OBEDIENCE becomes your greatest desire because there is no greater way to show your love to Him!  In this condition, you have given up your rights and you are not in control of your own destiny— God is in control of your life and your death. Only in that position can you truly know what it is to have a RELATIONSHIP with the Father.

 

 It’s a little bit like the different kinds of relationships that can exist between an earthly parent and a teenager.  Some teens obey their parent’s rules very reluctantly and begrudgingly. They are strong-willed and defiant, and they definitely want to maintain control of their own lives. Others are much more obedient, but have found security and happiness in submission to authority and would never want to do anything that would displease their parents. 

 How would you describe your RELATIONSHIP with God the Father? Do you feel there are rules you have to obey but would rather not? Or do you feel you get to obey the Father and desire nothing else but to please Him? The answer to finding a powerful and daily RELATIONSHIP with God has everything to do with our daily submission to Him and His commands. This is why Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” So what does this have to do with music? You have been commanded by our God to sing! Over and over we see this in the Bible:

“Let us sing psalms of praise to him.” Psalm 95:2

“I will praise God’s name with singing.” Psalm 69:30

“Sing joyfully about his glorious acts. “Psalm 107:22

“Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him!” 1 Chronicles 16:9

“Sing to the LORD, all the earth.” 1 Chronicles 16:23

“Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing.” Psalm 100:2

 

 So how are you going to obey this command? Out of duty and compulsion? May your singing be done out of love and praise for the God who has saved you!  Sing everyday.  But especially add your voice to singing in worship--either from the pew or (Insert  shameless plug:) from the CHOIR LOFT!

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