Radical Obedience

If you know the story of Moses, you know that he had a very important role in the life of the Israelite people. He was the chosen one to lead the Israelite’s out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. He spoke to God on the people’s behalf, and he spoke to the people on God’s behalf. (Ex. 33:11) But if you know the story, then you would also know that he made it just to the edge of the Promised Land, but he didn’t make it into the promised land. And he didn’t make it into the Promised Land because he was disobedient to God.

What happened is that the Israelite’s were complaining once again. They were blaming Moses for leading them into the desert where there was no food or water. So the people quarreled with Moses. Moses and Aaron went before the Lord and God told Moses to take his staff and speak to a particular rock, and water would pour out from it. So Moses and Aaron gathered the people together. There still must have been complaining going on because Moses seems to lose it with the people, and instead of speaking to the rock, he struck the rock, and not just once but twice! God told Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” (Num 20:12)

Wow! That might seem like harsh discipline, but God had entrusted Moses with great responsibility and He expected Moses to be obedient. I think the more responsibility God gives us, the more obedient He expects us to be. Or perhaps it’s the more obedient we are, the more responsibility God gives to us. Either way, do you want to be like Moses, getting to the edge of your promised land but not being allowed to enter in? God wants radical obedience from us. That is the sure-fire way to enter into the promised land God has for you. Radical obedience means trusting God and doing what He says no matter what. God doesn’t want to withhold things from us, He wants to give to us all that He has for us. As a parent, I know I won’t give nearly as much to a child who’s been disobedient, and I expect that God is the same way.

How can we be radically obedient? First, we need to ask God where we are being disobedient, if we don’t know already, but most of the time we already know. Then, we need to ask God to help us to be obedient. I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s easier to be obedient than at other times. And God will start asking us to do things that go against our fleshly desires. He’ll ask us to give up things that we don’t want to. And He’ll ask us to do things we just can’t do on our own. We can only do what we can do, and then we’ve got to rely on God to do the rest. When we are weak, God’s strength shows through. His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9) And displaying His strength through our weakness is a wonderful way to glorify God. And then finally, we need to carry through with what God has asked us to do with the help of the Holy Spirit. And if you fail, because we all do—come back to God in repentance, turning from your sin, because disobedience is sin. And turn quickly because you don’t want to create any more distance between you and God. And He will forgive you as He always does to those who turn from their sin. (2 Ch. 7:14) So, let’s determine to be radically obedient, with God’s help, for then we shall surely see our promised land and receive all that God has for us!