Obedience
By: Deborah Durrett
It was a stormy evening, beginning with bouts of lightning flashing through a front window, followed by boisterous claps of thunder – causing our dog (Pointer) Melody’s perched ears to look pinned to the side of her head. This was during the first hour. In the second hour, the wind and rain kept coming and going, so I took a chance to get my flower baskets off the hooks out on the deck, to a place under cover of the canopy until the morning. Mellie got down from her spot, heading towards the back door, because my preparations were not uncommon if I were about to take her outside. It was still too much going on for her to go along, yet she was willing to be obedient, despite her clear trepidation about the idea. As I moved the hanging baskets, I felt tears coming to my eyes (as I also do now) realizing her decision to trust me. When we first brought her home from the local SPCA, she struggled with us getting close to her-particularly things like touching her paws or checking in her ears, even though it was due to concern for her health and comfort. Gradually, she warmed up to us enough to understand we had her best in mind, and we were going to help any way we could – because she was family. We gained her trust as we did things to have her believe she could do so. Before we came to meet her where we live, she had lived in Jackson, Mississippi-750 miles away. She had been found by animal control on her own after a bad storm that included some tornadoes-although we do not know specifics about what her personal experience had been. What we do know is that she had experienced enough to not be fond of the combination of loud thunder, strong winds and pounding rain. In a typical bout of rain, she could care less that she is wet, and has to be encouraged to go inside so I do not get soaked. For a boisterous thunderstorm, she wants to bring her fifty-four pounds of sweetness to a lap, or go and get in her kennel cab, wrapped with a blanket to buffer sounds. We are so grateful she knows we are here for her now (not necessarily on our laps! 😊) but we remain aware that those previous unpleasant memories are still in her mind at times. So we have learned how to show her that she is safe, and that she does not have to go through it alone anymore. That is exactly what God wants for her and for all of His children.
Our Father in heaven is so pleased when we ‘get real’ (as my mother-in-law often used to say) with Him in a manner well suited to how He designed us. Sometimes, we imagine He wants us to pretend we are fine when we are not-like it seems with humans very often. Not so at all. In fact, if we try that with Him, he knows it is not true, anyway. He wants to help us be obedient no matter what is going on in our lives- and even to feel our feelings! He wants us to reap the benefits of obedience, which are often long-term, and He knows we need the help. In addition to being able to better manage living now, we can build a better connection to the one who knows us better than anyone. He longs for the connection to us, and we were made to be made whole by that bond. Even a simple conversation like I had the other night when I was not feeling very well, and all I could come up with saying to Him was, “I’ve got nothing, Pop!” I just needed Him to know He was what I needed. If we just look at obedience to Him like the lifeline it is, rather than losing ourselves, we might be less reluctant. Why would He want that when He made each of us exactly the way we are at our core? Melody reminded me that humility in obedience to me was not a weakness; it just means “I trust you, you’ve cared for me this long, and I know you have my best interests in mind-I’m ready.” Are you there, or are you ready to be there?
“If you agree and obey, you will eat the best food of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. The Lord has said this.” Isaiah 1:19-20, CEB
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments…I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:15 & 18 ESV
“Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you]. Colossians 4:6 AMP
“But if you are careful to obey him (angel sent by God), following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies.” Exodus 23:22 TLB
“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord…I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.” Psalm 119:1 & 176 NLT