“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” Luke 6:46 (ESV)

Greetings, Everyone! 

Over the years, I have read multiple articles and books on obedience to God. Going to Sunday School as children, we are taught to listen to our parents and God because it comes with a promise. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12, ESV). However, Saints, this is one of God's many promises regarding obedience to him and those He places over you. “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;” (Exodus 19:5, ESV). “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Heb. 13:17, ESV). Even Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14, ESV).

Ok, Sister Diana, I understand God wants us to be obedient. But does He know how hard living in this sinful world is, so why even try? God wants you to obey because He wants to save you from yourself. Sis. Diana, what do you mean? God speaks to us through His word. The word of God will be the same whether people believe it or not. God loves us. I know for a fact that people pray to God to change the circumstances in their lives. We want to listen to God, then. However, some of us are not ready to listen to God when he tells us to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Paul explains why people are like that, “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart” (Eph. 4:18, ESV). The less time we spend in the word of God, the condition of our hearts will slowly turn away from God, and we will start depending on ourselves. Remember, Saints, we are sinful by nature. It is embedded in us to sin. We need the Holy Spirit to save us—the cause of all deterioration in our lives may be the refusal of the Holy Spirit. “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (Heb. 10:26-27, ESV). Yes, Saints, we are imperfect, but we serve a perfect God.

I encourage you to listen to what God says to you in prayer, in a message from a fellow Christian, and from reading the Bible. God is everywhere. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28, ESV). Also, allow the Holy Spirit to soften your heart so that you can hear from God. Jesus said, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God” (John 8:47, ESV). Remember, there is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is the process, function, or power of perceiving sound. Listening takes notice of and acting on what someone says, responding to advice or a request. That is why God wants you to listen rather than to hear Him.

God is always waiting to speak to us. We need to listen and to do what He says. This will help us to stay obedient and have spiritual transformation in our lives.