The Flow of Obedience

It is important that we understand the motive out of which our obedience springs. If the spring is not pure, everything that flows out of it will be polluted. We must always be careful to check our motives.

The sad truth is that many Christians in these last days obey God only because they are afraid of going to hell. They fear the Lord’s anger, and they only want to make sure that their obedience is “legal.” They have no genuine desire to please him.

Jesus did everything out of love and a desire to bring pleasure to his heavenly father. “Then Jesus said to them, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father taught me, I speak these things. And he who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please him” (John 8:28-29, NKJV). 

This was the rock, the foundation upon which Jesus built his life of obedience. It was the spring or the motive out of which the flow of his obedience came. It is to be our rock as well.  

Jesus shut himself up in prayer on the mountaintops in quiet places, often all night long in fellowship with his father. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me”(John 6:38). His one great prayer was “Father, what do you want? What will bring you pleasure? What can I do to fulfill the desire of your heart?” 

That is the attitude of a person who has the Spirit of Christ. It should be our attitude that we might be one who builds on the rock. Our every decision needs to reflect a consciousness of God and a desire to please him. 

The foundational motive of all our obedience must be “I do all things because I want to please my Lord; I want to bring him great pleasure.”