Help Me To Obey

THESE PEOPLE ARE REBELLIOUS AND DECEITFUL CHILDREN, CHILDREN WHO REFUSE TO LISTEN TO THE LORD'S TEACHINGS. Isaiah 30.9.

A mother once said, “Now that I am old enough to understand what my mother told me, my daughter has begun telling me, ‘I don’t understand you!’” How often you tell your children, “If only you would listen to me?” We tell it with so much concern in our hearts for our children because we know how much they would benefit from listening to our mature advice. We are also aware of how much they would suffer from the consequences of not listening!

Now that I am a grandfather, I can understand ‘a little bit’ of the mind of God and the agony of His Spirit when we turn away from His teachings and instructions. It is very much like us who have done wrong and experienced the terrible consequences of them, when we caution our children - except that God has no sin! God knows the terrible consequences of our not listening to His voice and He fears for our awful destiny from wrongdoing. He feels its pangs in His soul, much like us parents, only much more!

Listen to the desperation of God’s heart as he tells through the prophet Isaiah, “These people are rebellious and deceitful children, children who refuse to listen to the LORD'S teachings”. It has become the human trait to resist good and invite evil. It began with the first man, Adam! We used to call it ‘hereditary’ but now they describe it as ‘genetic!’ The Bible explains it as ‘the sinful nature’ inherited from the first man. “Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Rom 5.12).

Seeing my children and grandchildren and for that matter having noticed the two generations, I have often wondered, “How is it that every child in every country behaves exactly the same way from the time of its birth?” The developmental stage of all children of every race and colour are similar. Even their attitudes develop in the same manner! Babies grow to be selfish, obstinate and demanding on their own without even seeing these in others! Children become disobedient without any coaching and no amount of coaxing will make them listen to you.

The parents often hope and wish that their children would listen to them and learn from their experiences, good and bad. I often pity the old king, Solomon. He began as a boy who feared God and one whom the Lord loved much! By not listening to God’s teachings, Solomon messed up his wonderful life of great divine possibilities. He didn’t even follow the words his father David, not even his death-bed instructions!

Our Great God and Father in heaven keeps pleading with you and every generation. Listen to Him again, “Write this on a tablet for them, and inscribe it in a book so that it will be there in the future as a permanent witness. These people are rebellious and deceitful children, children who refuse to listen to the LORD'S teachings” (vs 8,9).

Dear believer, do not make your God disappointed and so desperate as to say those awful words to you! If you will turn to your God and listen to His voice and obey it, then He has beautiful promises for you, “The LORD is waiting to be kind to you. He rises to have compassion on you. Blessed are all those who wait for him. The LORD will certainly have pity on you when you cry for help. As soon as he hears you, he will answer you” (vs. 18-19).

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, help me to listen to You and obey You. Help me to make You smile on me as a father would on his son who listens (Psa 119.135). Amen.