Who do you obey? Solomon was the third of Israel’s kings, and he would counsel us to obey the king. Does that tell us that people were unruly and not respectful in his day? When I read these words, I thought immediately of King Jesus because that’s who I obey. I don’t think Solomon was referring to God here, however.
For now, I’m going to focus my reflection on obedience to our reigning king, Jesus. He is certainly “backed by great power.” God’s power is without limit. Solomon speaks of death, too, and that segues nicely when we think of the power that raised Jesus from the dead.
When we are obedient to God, he is pleased with us. Yet no matter how hard we try to be good, the evil one will still infiltrate our best intentions and cause us to sin again and again. Rather than wallow in the fact we will never be free from sin, we can embrace the forgiveness and grace available to us as followers of Christ.
What comes to mind for you when you think about being obedient to God? We may no longer be enslaved by the “law,” but we have been set free to honor and serve our king, Jesus. While we honor Christ with our behavior, the honor is also ours for having access to our Creator and Savior.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is clear about the Biblical instructions we find. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
As Solomon has been speaking so much of wisdom, it’s good to hear from Jesus about who is wise. The evidence of who is wise lies in their conduct. Do they do what Jesus says or just listen?
James 1:22-25 has more wisdom for us. “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
I don’t know about you, but I’d much prefer to receive God’s blessing than his curse. For me, obedience to God is how I want to behave. It might not always be the popular choice, especially when non-believers want to push their own agendas, but it’s the wise choice.
Let’s pray. Father God, thank you for creating me and giving me life. I pray that the way I live my life honors you and reflects my obedience. Forgive me for the times when I stumble. Your grace and mercy are such a blessing to me. Continue to draw me closer to help me stand strong amidst the storms of life. Shine through my life so that others can see your good works and I can give you glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
