O is for Obedience

I am participating in the A2Z meme

with Peej of Ordinary Lives.

This week we are finding things for the letter O.

(that's not too easy)

"O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E

Obedience is the very best way

To show that you believe."

A little boy was having a tantrum - a rebellious, foot-stomping, "I don't want to live here anymore" tantrum.

His father, wanting the boy to calm down, told him to sit down in the Time-Out chair.

"I don't want to sit down!"

"Sit down."

Knowing the consequences might be disastrous if he didn't comply, the boy reluctantly perched on the edge of the seat.

The father says, "Sit there for five minutes. I'll be back to have a talk with you."

The boy watched his father leave and yelled, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm standing up on the inside!"

Was the boy really obeying?

As adults, we have learned to control the way we act, but do we feel like that little boy? We may say to ourselves, "I'm doing what is expected of me, but on the inside, I don't want to ever do this again!"

Am I obeying . . .

or am I standing up on the inside?

Lord, give me a submissive heart. Teach me to do what You have put before me each day. May I have an attitude of grateful servant. Lord, teach me to truly love you and obey You. Amen

Monday Manna - A Teachable Heart

I am hosting Monday Manna today, where we meet to together to study a portion of God's Word. You may link to your blog with thoughts on this verse (with the Linky at the bottom of this page), or you may add a comment.

"The meek will He guide in judgment,
and the meek will He teach His way."
(Psalm 25:9)

Have you ever been to a rodeo?

When a cowboy gets on one of those broncos, that wild horse kicks and jumps and bucks until he knocks that rider off.

I don't know a lot about horses, but I do know that if a horse is to be at all useful, it must first be tamed. The horse must learn to submit to a bit and saddle. It must allow a rider to control the reins. A well-trained horse will obey the slightest nudge or word from his master.

A stubborn horse is no good to the cowboy. If he insists on resisting his rider and wanting to go his own way, he will not be trusted to do the job. He must become meek - able to be taught.

God wants me to have a teachable heart.

When I think I can do things on my own,
when I buck and kick against God's control,
when ignore the leading of His reins,
then I become useless.

He cannot trust me to do the job.

Lord, teach me to submit to Your ways. I want to be guided by Your Spirit. I want to hear Your slightest command or touch. I want You to trust me and use me. Amen.

~ ~ ~

Keep the GRATEFULS coming.
See how many we have now!

God Led Him

Genesis 24

In today's culture, it's a little hard for us to really understand arranged marriages. But, maybe there would be less divorces if the wisdom of parents chose their children's spouses. Whatever way a wife is found, God should be the guiding factor.

Abraham was too old to return to the land of his family. So, who did he chose to do the job of wife-hunting? ...his most trusted servant..."his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had" Abraham knew that this man was worthy of this impossible task, and he was.

This servant knew that this was too much for him to do alone. He prayed to the God of Abraham to show him a sign, an unbelievable sign, so that he would be sure which maiden was the right one for Isaac. He asked that she offer him a drink and his camels also. That doesn't sound like much, but a thirsty camel will drink up to 30 gallons of water. The servant had ten camels. Only a kind, generous person would draw 300 gallons of water for a stranger.

While the servant was still praying, Rebekah came to the well.

Isn't God wonderful? I love the thought that my God is so big that he can direct different circumstances so that they weave and cross, in just the exact timing of His plan. Should we get frustrated with interrupted schedules? Do we notice opportunities that God puts in our day? Should we fret over our children not finding a wife or husband?

Rebekah seemed to know God's sovereign will in this unusual situation, for she willing left her family to marry a complete stranger. That is faith.

Lord, give us faith to trust Your supreme design for our lives. Lord, teach us to seek Your will in every part. Give us eyes to see the opportunities to shine for You throughout the day as bring them into our path. Thank you for Your loving guidance in the past, and help us to trust You with our future. In Jesus' Name, Amen

To Spank or Not to Spank

At VBS this summer, I read a missionary story. In it the main character had to give a student a whooping. The children asked, "What is that?" Their eyes got big when I told them it was a spanking. Later, I complimented my class on how well they behaved. On little girl said, "Well, we didn't want you to give us a whooping!"

In these days, many parents are afraid to discipline their children for fear of being accused of child abuse. I say the children are being abused by not being disciplined. So, many youngsters are growing up not being shown that disobedience brings punishment. Teachers can't control their classes. Children are controlling the homes. How will we expect them to respect the laws when they grow up? Or have a fear of God's holiness and justice?

A parent represents God to a young child. I'm not saying we're perfect, but we need to show a young child the difference between right and wrong, and make sure they know that wrong doing will bring a consequence. Children want to know the boundries. A child pushes until he gets some kind of response. It's up to us to set those boundries, so they can know how to live within them.

"When to spank?" is often a question new parents ask. "How do we know what kind of punishment fits the crime?"

My father, a pastor and school teacher, used a simple set of rules.

1. When a child does something wrong, quietly exlain what you expect.
2. If the child immediately and intentionally disobyes, then spank.
(This means a few whacks in the appropriate place, not beating the child.)
3. Talk and pray about it after the child has had a time to think about it.
4. Love them and forgive them.

Rebellion must be punished. Obedience is very important. We have to learn to obey our parents before we can obey God. Be patient and forgiving. Remind them often; they forget so soon. Isn't God patient with us?

If you discipline them when they are young (one-five years old), they shouldn't need many more spankings after that. They may not even remember those in their toddler days.

Be consitent. Everytime, you give in to their disobedience, you enforce their rebellion. Don't let their cries sway you. Better to hear their cries now, then later. It's not easy being a parent, but with God's help and guidance, we can raise our children to love and obey the Lord.


Proverbs 13:24 "He that spareth his rod hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."

Are We There Yet?

Genesis 12:1 "Now the LOrd had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee."

I wonder if Abraham thought "Are we there yet?" when God led him to an unknown land.

The part of this story that interests me ...is the fact that God spoke to Abraham and he heard God. Was he already dissatisfied with his idols and religion? Was he seeking the true God? Did God speak to him with an audible voice. Whatever the circumstances, we know that God spoke and Abraham heard and obeyed.

He took his wife, Sarah, and left his family. I'm sure there must have been some complaints and accusations from those they left. "How can he be so irresponsible? Why doesn't he just settle down and raise his family here?" I wonder if Sarah missed her home?

My father moved our family often and I complained (sometimes verbally, but mostly inwardly). I called it "gypsy blood", because my grandparents also moved around a lot. I feel it too sometimes... the desire to see new places and meet new people. I know my kids have it in them, also, and I find myself wishing they would settle down.

But... who can tell another person where God wants them to live? We don't know where He is leading them. We can only pray that they are listening to His voice.

Lord, help me to hear Your voice and obey its sound. Help me to respect others when You lead them in a direction that I don't understand. Lord, keep us close to You so that we know Your voice above the babble of the world. In Jesus' Name, Amen

The First Family

Genesis 3, 4

No, not the family that lives in Washington D.C.…the first family that ever lived on this earth. Have you ever thought about what their daily home life was like? I’m sure it was much harder than we think. They didn’t have the stress of our busy schedules and machines, but they also didn’t have anyone to turn to when the baby got sick or when they were too tired to fix supper. They didn’t relax by watching TV in the evening or even reading books; they talked.

I can imagine them sitting around the fire at night and Adam telling his children about the beautiful garden that God made for them and how they would walk and talk with God. I’m sure Adam told of the terrible day, when the serpent deceived them, and they disobeyed the one and only command of God…how they hid in shame, losing the glory of the Lord, and covering themselves with leaves. He must have told of the horrible sight, when God slaughtered an animal to cover their sin.

Adam told his children of God and his holiness and his hatred for sin. They knew that something had to die, its blood shed, to take the punishment, which they deserved, for their sin. The animal was innocent. It hadn’t sinned, but it took their place. God planned it that way. He wanted it to teach them about His plan to redeem them.

In Gen. 4:8, it says that Cain talked with Abel. What did they say? Did Abel remind his older brother of God’s ways? Cain knew, but the pride of his own works and his own reasoning caused him to rebel and argue and turn away from God. He didn’t want to obey. He didn’t want to listen. He wanted to make the rules. He wanted God to accept him, worshiping in his own way.

Do we come to our Creator, seeking His ways… or do we want Him to accept our ways?

Lord, give us a humble heart, wanting only Your will. Teach us Your ways. Keep us from pride and selfishness. Help us to see sin as You see it. Forgive us when we stray. In Jesus' Name, Amen