Obedience Is To Be Completed

Have you ever thought to yourself, I can obey a little bit—but the rest is too much for me? In the Old Testament, King Saul was one who obeyed God sometimes, but not all the time. He often followed his own wisdom, and as a result, he received little credit from God. In fact, God told the prophet Samuel that He regretted making Saul king (1 Samuel 15:11)! Because Saul did not follow God’s instructions perfectly, he was in rebellion against Him—much to Saul’s surprise. In light of this, it’s safe to conclude this truth: almost complete obedience isn’t obedience at all.

We are not permitted to pick-and-choose the laws we want to obey. God’s will and commands are complete, and as Christians who relentlessly pursue God, we are to follow Him to the end of our days. Once again, our example is Jesus—the One who followed each of God’s commands until He finished the full work of dying and being resurrected for us. What if He had decided to say “I quit” in the days or hours before His crucifixion? What if He had fallen just short of the mark?

Obedience is a lifelong endeavor. As we work to please God each day of our lives, may we always remember the One—the Son of God—who completed the greatest work of all, that we might be able to take part in the heavenly kingdom awaiting those who pursue it.

Pray

Dear heavenly Father, please forgive me for starting to obey what You’ve told me to do, but not finishing, either by ignoring it or changing my mind because of not seeing it as self-serving. I repent of this lack of holy fear and ask Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Was this plan helpful? We adapted this plan from The Awe of God: The Astounding Way a Healthy Fear of God Transforms Your Life, by John Bevere. Check it out for more.