I spoke about obedience this past Sunday and I’m following it up with this little devotional, because I believe it’s that important. If we’re followers of Jesus, obedience isn’t an option: it’s the outflow of our relationship with God. Jesus says it pretty clearly in John 14:15 when He says: “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.”
Love that is real moves us—it doesn’t stay content with just sentiment or good intentions. Obedience grows out of our affection for Jesus, our understanding that He IS the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and a desire to walk where He leads. It is the outward result of an inward transformation.
Think of Abraham rising before dawn to leave behind his old life and go to a new land that God had for him—not because he understood every detail, but because he trusted the One who called him. And we can’t forget the disciples who left their nets, livelihoods, and homes to follow Jesus. They walked in obedience because they loved God and wanted to see His will accomplished in and through their lives.
James warns that hearing the Word without doing it is self-deception (James 1:22). It’s not enough to hear or read the Word of God and know what it says. We have to respond to it. The Gospel that changes us compels us to live it out. And if we aren’t seeking to live it out, we’re no different than the rest of the world.
So, let’s be people who don’t just say we love Jesus, but who show it—by walking in obedience to His Word, trusting that every step of obedience draws us closer to His heart and reveals His love to the world around us.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that guides and shapes our lives. Help us to walk in obedience—not out of duty, but out of our love for You. When it’s difficult to understand, give us faith like Abraham to trust Your leading. When it’s costly, remind us of the joy that comes from following You fully. Teach us to live in such a way that our obedience reflects Your heart and brings glory to Your name. –Amen
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