For This is Right

For the past few years, my family has been dealing with a lot of ugliness.  I remember once,  I told my dad that I felt so close to God, the closest I had ever felt in my life.  His response: "That's precisely when the devil tries to interfere and tear you away from God."

Well, the devil sure has been trying to shove his way into my family.  And, my family continues to amaze me with their faith in God.  Their unwavering faith builds up my faith.

The other week, we studied the topic of love in Bible class.  The topic centered mostly around the love a parent has for their child.  Even though I'm not a parent, I am a child.  I got to thinking about how this earthly parent-child relationship is comparable to God's love for and relationship with us, His children.  Just like our earthly parents want the best for us, so does God.  And, just as our earthly parents have instructed us, so has God.  Most importantly, just as our earthly parents love us, God loves us - He loves us so much that He sacrificed His only son for us that we may have the hope of spending eternity in heaven with Him.

During the course of this Bible class study, I really noticed Ephesians 6:1 for the first time.  "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."

That last phrase really hit me - this is right.  It reminds me a lot of a phrase I often heard growing up, "Because I said so."  There was never further explanation because no further explanation was needed.  Your parents told you to clean your room, you were to do it.  Why?  Because that's what obedience is all about.

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Here's the definition of obedience: compliance with an order, request, or law, or submission to another's authority.  You did as your parents instructed you because they had authority over you.

Well, God is our Father.  He has authority over us.  And yet, we so often want to tell God that we know better than He does.  We so often like telling God, our Creator, that we're smarter than Him.  He knows us better than we know ourselves (He knows what every inch of your body looks like, He knows every thought you have, He even knows the number of hairs on your head).  But we have somehow managed to convince ourselves that we know more than Him.

So many today have decided that they don't want to obey God.  Despite Him commanding us to do as He instructs. Despite Him telling us that obeying Him is what is right.  Period.

My dad said something to me today that really hit me.  I love it so much, that it's going to become goal #7 for this journey.

None of us are perfect; however, all of us must seek perfection in Christ.

I John 2:3-6 says the following: Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.  By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Seeking perfection in Christ requires doing as He commands - because this is right.  It requires doing all that God commands of us, not just what we feel like doing, what parts of his commands we like, what is convenient for us, or what currently fits in with our lifestyle.  That is NOT obedience.

It is one thing to say we love God.  It is another to show our love for God by obeying all of His commands.

For we can only be perfected if we keep His word, not our word.

Seek perfection in Christ, for this is right!