Greater than sacrifice

7:38am
Pierre: Dial into the Prayer Call
Me: It's too early. It's only 7:38. There's still time.
Yahweh: You argue the smallest things. If you do it to him, you do the same to me.

Obedience. It's a seemingly relative term. Many believe that as long as you eventually get around to doing what you're told to do, you've been obedient. Your husband asks you to wash his whites - you get it done by the end of the week. Your boss tells you to write up your expenses - you turn it in an hour or two after it was due, grateful for the grace (it's your money, after all). Your pastor tells you to fast weekly - you fast when you feel led.

Obedience rubs our American nature the wrong way. The very definition of obey includes the word "conforming". That's a curse word in this country. Yet it is required of us, friends of Yah, in this day and age more than ever before. We think that the small delays in our obedience do not affect anything. However, if we delay to obey natural authority we will undoubtedly delay obeying spiritual authority. How many have lost their lives prematurely because they argued with the inner voice that would have brought them to safety?

We choose on a daily basis to rationalize our own way so we can live an independent life. The irony is that living in one of the most free countries in the world has led to some of the most bondage. We need to wake up and realize that perhaps the choices we make are not the best. Perhaps the authorities Yahweh has placed in our lives are not there to irritate, but to train. The more we practice obedience on a daily basis, the more effectual we'll be in the day of adversity for ourselves and others. The faster we train ourselves to obey natural authority, the faster we'll respond to the Holy Spirit's leading. Not to mention that without submission, we can never have true authority in our own lives. It's a spiritual law.

A side benefit of obeying natural authority is that doing so admonishes those with the authority to be careful with what they say. How many in leadership positions across the country bark out a bunch of senseless commands in an effort to have at least some of their words heeded? Obedience is greater than sacrifice; it is the greatest sacrifice. Practice being obedient on a daily basis and tell rebellion it has no place in your life. The benefits in the spirit realm will far surpass any temporary inconvenience to your flesh.