Matthew 1:24,25
“And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he named Him Jesus.”
Joseph was obedient to the angel. Just prior he was saddened as Mary was pregnant. He could have had her put to death. He wasn’t going that route. He was going to put her away privately. Then an angel appeared to him in a dream telling him it was ok. The child came from God and was to be the messiah. This nightmare situation had been resolved.
He took Mary as his wife and raised the child as his own. I’m not sure if he understood Jesus’ divinity. He didn’t have a sin nature, but the rest of him was human. He was a father to Jesus.
Obedience is part of life as a believer. God gave us the Ten Commandments to follow. The first several deal with our relationship with God. We are to have no Gods before Him. We aren’t to have idols and we aren’t to take His name in vain. Lastly, we are to keep the Sabbath. I interpret the sabbath as going to church.
We are to fear and obey Him. We are to listen to His Words and obey them. Most of these are negative commands which is better than positive one. They say to not do these few things which leaves the rest open to us.
God’s commands are good for us. The bible says to forgive. Resentment kills us. We see it’s evidence on our faces. It says it’s rottenness to our bones. It can make us sick and will do so. Forgiveness lets it go. All the chains of resentment fall away and we are free.
All of His commands are that way. They are the best for us. All of them. God has given us sex as a way to procreate and to give us the blessing of the act. However it’s to be in the confines of marriage. Outside of that diminishes us and makes us slaves. We can drift into aberrant practices which aren’t normal and betray trust. Within it’s proper context we are blessed. Obey Him.
Jesus simplifies the commandments into two, to love God and others. The law of love (Galatians 5:6). We can sense what’s love and what’s not. Sometimes we don’t have it. Ask God for it. Love is the main fruit of the Spirit. It’s the result of Him abiding in us and our asking. Pray and act as if we have it. Love will show up.
Sometimes God prompts our hearts with thoughts and ideas. We are to obey those. It might be share a thought or the gospel. We usually don’t know with certainty that these are of God. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Pastor Buddy Owens gave this insight to these thoughts, He prays, “Lord, I’m going to do this. If this is a bad idea could You let me know?” I like this. It doesn’t mean He is bound to this request. He may honor them.
Many think living a life in obedient to God is oppressive. Not so. Sure, we have biblical limits, but these are for our best interest.
God blesses our obedience with joy. He fills us with a happy contentment. He also blesses our lives. It’s a win, win, win.
God also blesses obedience with right circumstances. It’s prosperity. Things work out as we obey Him. A blessed life. He also blesses those we share with. As they obey Him, He blesses their lives.
Thank You, Lord, for Your Words. Thank You for guidelines that keep us safe. Thank You for the joy You give. Thank You for the prosperity, the blessing of our lives. You are so good to us. Thank You.