“Tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed is the man who does not obey the terms of this covenant -- the terms I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.’ I said, ‘Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. Then I will fulfill the oath I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’-- the land you possess today.” I answered, ‘Amen, LORD.’”** Jeremiah 11:3-5 (NIV)**
Every believer in sweet Jesus has been brought out of the iron-smelting furnace of our sins and depravities. And as the Israelites of old, we are now to be a people of God’s renown, praise and honor. Meaning, do we follow after Him in love and obedience, even in the hard? Caring more about how our actions and words reflect upon Him rather than upon us? It does us well to be reminded that as believers we are children of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and we are to reflect Him - even in the hard. Peter tells us our trials come to test our faith. This is for us to see if our faith is genuine, which will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus is revealed. 1 Peter 1:3-7 (NIV) tells us: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Further, our Father knows the way to bring forth what is best for us. He can work evil for good and make beauty out of our ashes, the oil of gladness from our mourning and a garment of praise from our spirits of despair. It is His desire for us to be Oaks of Righteousness, plantings of the Lord for the display of His splendor and not our own. All accomplished through His power and for His glory. Whenever His child is given a bitter portion, from God’s overflowing, inexhaustible treasuries He most certainly has an antidote to bring about what is best for us and a medicated balm for our fainting, not to mention the abundant and lavish cream of His love. God makes even evil work for our good. No one loves their own soul as much as God loves them. Indeed, our God is love.
Remember as well, it is not enough for us to merely hear God’s voice but to obey it. This is part of the honor we owe our Lord. Just as God loves a cheerful giver, He loves those that willingly and immediately obey Him. We can know that all He asks of us is for our very best interest and He does not wish for us to do it grudgingly and against our wills. He desires for us to follow after Him in love and joy. Also, our obedience without fervency is as a sacrifice without fire. And He seeks for us to obey all His commands not simply the ones of our choosing. Further, He desires our sincerity of heart and motivation of love to please the One Who has given His all for us. There is love and purpose in every command and nothing is unreasonable. It is not sacrificial to obey what He commands. Indeed, it is as bidding us to dig for gold and then keep the gold for ourselves. We serve an amazing God!
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.** 1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)**