The Blessing of Obedience

John 14:15 NKJV - [15] "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
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God demands obedience, but not to snuff all enjoyment out of life or to hold us hostage and keep us from a pleasurable life.  Any “restrictions” or boundaries that God asks us to keep are not to keep pleasure from us, but to protect our relationship with Him.  He’s a loving father and any good parent will set boundaries for their children to protect them so they can live a long, happy, healthy life.  
 
God is love and everything He says and does is motivated by love.  Thus, obedience to God’s commands is our way of loving Him back and it frees us to live the fulfilled life that He intended for us.  One of the greatest gifts God gave man at creation was free will.  God gave us the power to choose, but expected obedience.  Having the power to choose for ourselves whether or not to be obedient to Him makes the relationship all the more special.  When Adam and Eve disobeyed in the Garden of Eden, it fractured their relationship with God and instead of waiting for Him in the cool of the day with excitement, they were hiding in fear and shame.  What a tragedy!

God is faithful and has great things planned for us, but if we live disobediently, we remove ourselves from the confines of His faithfulness and leave ourselves open to great disaster.  
 
Don't look at God’s commands as confining fences keeping you from living life to the fullest, but realize that they are guardrails keeping you from plummeting to certain doom.  If you REALLY love God the way you say you do, then commit yourself to a life of bold, faithful obedience.  You will never regret this and it will provide you with a life of peace, freedom and close friendship with the Savior.  

In Christ,
Patrick A. Thomson

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