Decide To Follow Through With Faithfulness - Making Tough Decisions with Confidence

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25, ESV)

Growing up as a firstborn girl, I did not like being told what to do, but I enjoyed telling others what to do. If my mom asked me to do something around the house I usually protested (rest assured, I have apologized profusely and often insist on doing the dishes when I visit her). If my mom asked me to clean my room, I whined and complained. But if it was my idea to clean my room, I did it willingly.

Can you relate or were you more compliant?

Obedience can be an uncomfortable concept in an “anything goes” culture. It can sound harsh or outdated. But it is just as necessary now as it has ever been.

The Hebrew word for hear, listen to, and obey is the word: shema.

This word is not something we only do internally but externally. The hearing produces action—they go hand in hand. So when my mom said, “Clean your room please,” living out shema would mean hearing her and following with action—with obedience.

The Jewish people call Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NIV), the Shema. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” The word “hear” in verse 3 is shema. This is not just something to be recited only but to be lived out.

Why should they, and why should we, obey? Because the Lord our God is one. He is not like any other, He alone is worthy of praise, honor, glory, and thanksgiving.

How should they, and how should we, obey Him? By loving the Lord our God with ALL our heart, soul, and strength—an all-encompassing, all-in, holding-nothing-back, kind of love.

The last verse in the book of Judges sums up the state of affairs back then, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25, ESV). Sound familiar? We are living in similar times, and no wonder we are floundering. We have basically abandoned this concept and lifestyle of shema!

We are more apt to obey when we remember God’s faithfulness, as our Deliverer from the oppression of sin, and when we remember Jesus’ extravagant love expressed as our Redeemer, restoring us to God the Father.

The decision to remember (that we talked about in Day 1) and the decision to obey serve as north stars, pointing us to the one true God—even when the path before us is unclear, even in an “anything goes” culture and amid divisive, dangerous times.

Let’s ask God to help us willingly obey Him with our heart, soul, and strength, confident that when we do so, we are giving Him the glory He deserves and fulfilling our God-given assignments with His help.

God has entrusted us with people, a position, and a place at this time in history. Our obedience has a ripple effect that can reach further than we can imagine, inspiring others to be “all in” in their relationship with Jesus. Let’s not stop short of fully obeying God—there’s too much at stake. May we be found faithful to carry out God’s instructions as we listen and obey. Living out shema.

What has God asked you to do? Are you doing it? Why or why not?

Prayer:

Dear God: Thank you for obeying the will of Father God and dying on the cross for my sins. Please give me the desire and courage to obey You. Your Word is full of wisdom to help me grow in this area. Your commands are for my good. Obedience is not easy but it is an important part of following You. Thank You for Your grace, mercy, and patience with me, as You teach me to walk in Your ways. Thank You Holy Spirit for helping me know and live out the truth. I want to honor You with my choices. Show me where I’ve wandered and lead me in Your good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2). In Jesus’ name, Amen.