Obey

I have been, for the last several years, seeking to read thru the Bible.
This was started back in 2006 when The Wesleyan Church declared 2006 to be the Year of the Bible. And TWC even made available copies of a bible specifically designed to read the Bible in an entire year.
That was an excellent way to read the bible, but I sometimes found that it was too much information coming at me all at once. I was, sometimes, on “information overload”.
So after the year was over, I went out and purchased a new bible with the specific intention of reading thru the bible at my own pace.
The first year, I read through the New Testament (NT), and now I am making my way through the Old Testament (OT).
I am absolutely amazed at the wealth of knowledge found in the OT, that sometimes get’s overlooked.
Take for example, the call of Jeremiah, as found in Jeremiah 1:4-8 “The Lord gave me this message: 5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
6 “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (NLT2)
Verse 5 is an excellent reminder of God being in complete control and how He knows us better than we know ourselves.
But the what really stood out to me from this passage was verses 6-8. After God told Jeremiah that He knew all about him, Jeremiah said: ““O Sovereign Lord,” …“I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (NLT2)
Jeremiah was afraid that his age would be a problem & God told Jeremiah that it was not a problem and what Jeremiah was to do was say what God wanted him to say and go where God wanted him to go.
This my friends, is the call to obedience. What God wants from all of His children—regardless of their age—is to walk in obedience with Him.
Jesus said “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:14, NIV) and “…If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching….” (John 14:23, NIV)
John, a follower of Jesus, wrote “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome…” (1 John 5:3, NIV)
At the end of the day, God wants each one of us to ask ourselves “have we obeyed Him?”