HOW MANY times have you heard that? How many times have you said this yourself? I remember hearing my Mom say; "If I told you once, I've told you a thousand times!" Of course, what would follow, would be; “No!” Or; “I said; No!” “Pick up your clothes!” “Empty the trask in the bathroom!” Etc! Etc! Etc!
JIM remembers the phrase; “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times; don't exaggerate!” How about; “I have told you more than once, now get it done!” How frustrating we must have been to our parents as they tried to teach us to be obedient. I know how frustrated I was with my own children, so I can imagine how it was, especially for my mother. She was the disciplinarian!
WHY IS IT so hard for us to obey? Why can’t we just do as we are told and then forget about it. Why is it that we have a better way; or why does it have to be, right now. Why not later or at least, do it tomorrow. Remember that old favorite saying; “Manana!” Tomorrow!
SINCE I have retired, I put things off until tomorrow. My bathroom floor, sweeping the kitchen floor and so on. If I can put it off, I will. However, if I want something done by someone else I want it done now. If they don’t hop to it, then I go ahead and start doing it. Why do I do that? Is that to make them feel guilty or am I getting angry?
WHEN I put things off, I always remember my sister Janice saying, “I’m not going anywhere and no one is coming over.” I suppose we all have a little of that in us. Don’t want to get dressed until around 10:30am; comb my hair just before I leave the house. Stash everything in the dishwasher to clean the kitchen counter when I hear that someone is dropping in.
BECAUSE Jesus knew mankind so well, especially after he walked and talked with them, He was heard to say; “If you keep my commandments!” Why do you suppose He repeatedly said; “Keep my commandments!” Was it because He didn’t want us to forget or was it because He knew we would forget! How about the little “if?! Do these requests come with conditions?
“AND BEING found in human form He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11 Jesus, the Son of God; God in the flesh; our Heavenly Father, humbled himself so that He could show us how to be obedient. Jesus was rewarded by being exalted with a name that just hearing it, we are inclined to bow before Him and confess it before all.
“ALTHOUGH He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered; and being made perfect He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Hebrews 5:8-9 You and I were not born with the desire to be obedient. We had to learn to become obedient. Jesus had to learn obedience also. His obedience came about because He wanted to please the Father. We must learn to be obedient to Him in order to receive His eternal salvation.
“FINALLY all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind. Do not return evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing. For He that would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile; let him turn away from evil and do right; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.” 1 Peter 3:8-12 “ Trust and obey” for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus; but to “Trust and Obey!” By Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/26/11
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