Wednesday Devotion

Moses: Let's get a new obedience!
By Mike Kirby

Some of the first words you ever learned were probably 'mommy' and 'daddy'. Not too far behind them were probably 'mine' and 'no'. How many times have you heard a small child screaming 'NO!' at the top of their lungs? We are born with an inclination toward disobedience.

Obedience doesn't get any easier as we get older. Have you stayed out past curfew (even accidentally)? Have you gone over the speed limit even by 1 mph? Refused to do your chores? Have you ever decided that you really need money badly this month so you didn't put anything in the offering plate at church? How about going to websites that you know you shouldn't go to?

Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the desert. The goal was the Promised Land, but they weren't there yet. There was a detour to a mountain. Read Exodus 19:3-8. Read Exodus 20:1-17.

The Hebrews exclaimed, "Yes, we will obey!" Moses went on the mountain and received the Ten Commandments. Along with that Moses received the rest of the law for the Hebrew people. Read Exodus 24:3, 7, 12-18.

While Moses was on the mountain for those 40 days and nights, the Hebrews apparently forgot their pledge to obey God and built a golden calf as an idol. This just shows us that we cannot obey. In fact, the Ten Commandments show us that we are utterly incapable of being perfectly obedient.

Read Romans 7:7-12. If we can't keep the law, but God requires obedience, what are we to do? That is where Jesus comes in. The law exposes our need for a Savior, Jesus Christ. When we become Christians and are in Christ, we take on the righteousness of Christ in the eyes of God.

Now, here is the rub. God still requires obedience. Not to a long list of rules and regulations, but to Jesus Christ. Our obedience to Jesus is evidence that we are saved. Yes, there is still right and wrong. No, we won't be perfect. No, we cannot sin just because we know Jesus will forgive our sin. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit lives within us and gives us the ability to obey Christ.

Read John 14:23; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 John 5:3.

Pray that through your obedience to God people will see that you are a Christian. Pray that God will strengthen you to bring every area of your life under obedience to Christ. That you will desire to read His word to know what the Lord wants you to obey and that God will make your obedience a joy and not a burden.