Because I Said So

Often we think of following God as abiding by a list of rules and making sure we don't cross the line and do something we aren't supposed to do. While there are certain things set in place for our protection and guidance, being obedient to God is more than a mere checklist of unacceptable behaviors. Throughout Scripture we see stories of people who were told to do specific things by God and yet they refused to follow through.

As I thought about it this morning, I had to wonder--what has God asked us to do that we are not? There are multiple areas of social justice which certainly fall under this heading-the need  to care for the poor, to provide for widows & orphans, to take a stand for those who cannot stand for themselves. These and many other needs cry out for Christian involvement and deliberate action.

Where is our obedience in the day-to-day & week-to-week though? How obedient are we when God is asking us to do simple things like tithing? What are we doing with the conviction we feel at the end of a worship service-do we take action or ignore it and hope it goes away? When a moment to share spiritual truth with our children arises do we take advantage of it or find ways to rationalize it away? 

I believe God pushes us to take small steps of obedience in devotions, investing in the spiritual well-being of our children, faithfully committing our finances, stepping up to volunteer in the church, following through on baptism, and confession of sin & repentance. We are satisfied and pat ourselves on the back when we avoid certain behaviors, but it is no less of a sin to neglect to do what God has asked us to do either. We strive to avoid the sins of commission, but the sins of omission may be our greater undoing.