GOD'S COMMANDS

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3




DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: Submission is a term that has been grievously distorted because there are men who have used the word as a weapon to club their wives rather than as a hammer to build their homes. When God tells the wife to submit to her husband, He also tells the husband to love his wife (Ephesians 5:22-25). When God tells children to obey their parents, He also instructs the fathers to “provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). When God tells you to submit to Him, it is for your good (James 4:7). Jesus is the head of the church, and He leads by love. The same should be true in the home. LOVE WORTH FINDING DEVOTIONAL by ADRIAN ROGERS



There is within each of us a spirit of independence that grapples with the idea of submission to anyone or anything. This is the very thing that caused Satan to leave the glories of Heaven and of being God's annointed cherub....his independence and desire to be #1!! Let's face it. We want OUR own way. We do not want to do it YOUR way or anyone else's way. We think that we know what is best. Notice I said "think" we know. Yet God tells us that the exact opposite is true. Proverbs 14:12 says "There is a way that seems rght to a man, but the end thereof is death."

God gives us commands to live by. Commands that are for our good, to protect us, to nurture us, to guide us. Yet the old sin nature that is alive and well in us rears its head just like the serpent in the garden and says "Oh, but YOUR way is better." We rebel and suffer the consequences.

I was so struck by the verse above because it says "God's commands are NOT grievous." If we could ever get it through our heads that no matter how difficult it is, doing things God's way will ALWAYS result in the best for us, our walk with Him would be so much sweeter and so much more productive. Just as parents must make rules for our children that they don't like but are for their good, God has rules and commands for us that we may not like, but are also for our ultimate good.

I hope you will mark and highlight I John 5:3 in your Bible and allow it to be a reminder to you that when God asks you to do something, it is not meant to be grievous to you and WILL bring about the best for you in the end.