Obedience

Reading Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22-23 

Verse to Memorize: 1 Samuel 15:22 

Reference: Romans 10:10, 8:7-8 Goal: to help believers completely demolish fleshly thoughts that hinder them from having faith, understand the heart of God, and obey Him with joy God takes delight in people who obey His Word and He blesses them. Obedience is the strength to bring down God's amazing power. God-pleasing obedience doesn't refer to reluctant and coerced obedience in keeping His commandments but God is pleased when we understand God's heart and obey it with joy. If we love God and perfectly obey Him, we can do the things that are impossible for men and transcend any kind of situation. Such a truly righteous man obeys with faith whatever will of God is.

• 1. Obeying is a step to becoming righteous

Romans 10:10 says, "For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." What does it mean 'For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness'? When people have faith as knowledge, it can't lead them to righteousness. Those who believe from the bottom of the hearts circumcise their hearts and live by the Word of God. They throw away things God tells them to throw away and don't do the things He tells them not to do. They also do and keep what He tells them to do and keep. 

Through this, they can cast away sin and evil and reach righteousness, which also means 'becoming sanctified.' When we believe with the heart and confess our faith, it is deemed true by God and it results in our salvation. Romans 2:13 reads, "For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified." It means that only when we hear and keep the Law, which is the Word of God, can we become righteous men. 

We have to cast away hatred because God tells us not to hate others. We also must not envy because God tells us not to envy. We must love even our enemies since God tells us to love them. To the extent that we obey the Words of God by deeds, we can become more righteous. Thus, as much as we believe with a heart and obey, we can become even more qualified as righteous men.

• 2. Blessing given when obeying God in the order

Many sections of society in the world require obedience of people between a master and his servants or in hierarchical organizations. How well the members obey the given order may decide their performance. To form a happy family, parents should teach their children to grow up justly, wisely, and well in the Lord and children should obey their parents without going astray. If a child doesn't listen to his parents and often causes troubles, how sad his parents would feel! The family members may feel unhappy and sad and keep arguing with one another. 

On the other hand, when a child obeys his parents in the Lord and works as a precious asset to society, his parents might feel very happy. The same applies to the relations between teachers and students. Teachers want their students to respect them and to understand and use what they learned. They want them to act as good examples for others. An owner of a company also likes skilled workers who obey and contribute to the company's development being diligent, honest, and wise. Everything is made favorable when we obey following the order. This also applies to the relations between God and people. God is very pleased with His children's obedience to His Words. How lovely His children look in His sight when they don't follow untruthful things that Satan likes and they practice the Word of God. 

As the Bible describes, Abraham's belief in God was perfected. He believed God would be able to revive the dead and Abraham obeyed Him joyfully when He told him to offer his only son Isaac as a burnt offering, who was more valuable than his own life. How lovely he looked to God. God reckoned such faith and obedience as 'righteousness' and He took delight in him. He blessed him as the father of faith.

• 3. The reasons we are unable to obey the Word of God

Contrary to Abraham, there was a person like King Saul who came to be forsaken by God because he continually disobeyed. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul disobeyed God's command using his own thoughts. God commanded him to 'utterly destroy the Amalekites'. But with his own thoughts, he did not kill Agag, the king of Amalek, but captured him alive. He also spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, but he destroyed only things despised and worthless. 

This disobedience of Saul caused him to be forsaken by God and his throne was handed over to David. That is why Samuel the prophet reproached Saul severely in 1 Samuel 15:22-23, saying, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king." What should we realize from his case? People fail to obey because of their own thoughts. Many parts of the Bible are contrary to our knowledge. It tells us that when we humble ourselves we will be lifted up, when we are put to death we will live, and when someone slaps us on the right cheek, we should turn our left cheek to him. In fact, these things don't agree with our thoughts. If we don't obey the Word of God because it is not in agreement with our knowledge, we cannot please God or seek after His heart.

 1 John 4:20 says, "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." It means that unless we love others that we can see in our family, workplaces, and church and seek for their hearts how could it be possible for us to say we love God who is not seen. Therefore, we should clearly remember that only when we do not do anything according to our thoughts but act according to the Word of God can we obey Him.

• 4. God works on righteous people who obey

Suppose someone is about to leave his home to accomplish the work of God. Suddenly major problems occurred with his family. If he thinks in his way, 'Oops! How can I leave my family while they are in trouble!' and doesn't go, what about the work of God? If he obeys thinking, 'I made up my mind before God, so I will go', then, God will cause all things to work together for the good for him. Only one who sets aside his own ideas and obeys God can greatly achieve His works. 

Here, we should realize that if we are led by our thoughts, we cannot either disobey God or follow after others' hearts such as our spouses, family members, or people around us. In this way, how can we know and follow the heart of God that is great and broad beyond any comparison with the heart of any man! That is why Romans 8:7-8 says, "Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." God is love itself, but He still works within justice. So, He doesn't work for those who disobey Him. To the extent we become more righteous by obedience, God can work with us and lead us to prosperity. It is clearly seen in the case of a widow in Zarephath. 

There was severe drought so she had food just for a single meal. Elijah, a man of God, told her to make him a little bread cake. Furthermore, it is recorded in 1 Kings 17:14 that he promised her saying, "For thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth'" (1 Kings 17:14). Elijah's word was something very hard to obey for an ordinary person, but the widow in Zarephath obeyed it. What was its consequence? As Elijah promised, she could live peacefully without worries for food until the drought ended. In the same way, if we please God with deeds of obedience, then we can receive answers to whatever we ask. Therefore, I urge you to demolish human thoughts, obey only the Word, and become truly righteous people so that you will glorify God.

Utii

Soma: 1 Samweli 15:22-23

Mstari wa kukariri: 1 Samweli 15:22

Marejeo: Warumi 10:10; 8:7-8. Lengo: kuwasaidia waumini kuondoa kabisa mawazo ya mwili yanayozuia imani, kuelewa moyo wa Mungu na kumtii kwa furaha.

Mungu hupendezwa na wanaotii Neno lake na huwabariki. Utii ni nguvu ya kuleta mamlaka yake ya ajabu. Utii unaompendeza Mungu si kushika amri kwa kusita au kulazimishwa; Mungu hufurahi tunapoelewa moyo wake na kutii kwa furaha. Tukimpenda na kumtii kikamilifu, tunaweza kufanya yasiyowezekana kwa wanadamu na kuvuka hali yoyote. Mwenye haki humtii Mungu kwa imani katika mapenzi yake yote.

• 1. Kutii ni hatua ya kuwa mwenye haki

Warumi 10:10 husema mtu huamini kwa moyo hata kupata haki na hukiri kwa kinywa hata kupata wokovu. Kuamini kama maarifa pekee hakutufanyi wenye haki. Wanaoamini kwa moyo wote hutahiri mioyo yao na kuishi kwa Neno la Mungu. Hutupa anayowaagiza watu watupilie mbali, huepuka anayowaagiza wasifanye, na kufanya na kushika anayowaagiza wafanye na kushika.

Kwa njia hiyo tunaondoa dhambi na uovu na kufikia haki, yaani, kutakaswa. Tunapoamini moyoni na kukiri imani, Mungu huitambua kuwa ya kweli na tunaokolewa. Warumi 2:13 husema si wasikiaji wa Sheria walio wenye haki mbele za Mungu, bali watendaji wa Sheria ndio watakaohesabiwa haki. Ni tunaposikia na kutii Neno la Mungu ndipo tunapokuwa wenye haki. Tuondoe chuki kwa kuwa Mungu hutuambia tusichukiane; tusione wivu; tuwapende hata adui zetu. Kadiri tunavyotii kwa matendo, ndivyo tunavyokuwa wenye haki zaidi na kustahili zaidi kuitwa wenye haki.

• 2. Baraka ya kumtii Mungu kwa mpangilio

Sehemu nyingi za jamii zinahitaji watu kutii kati ya bwana na watumishi au katika mashirika yenye ngazi. Utendaji unaweza kutegemea jinsi wanachama wanavyofuata mpangilio. Ili familia iwe na furaha, wazazi wanapaswa kuwalea watoto katika Bwana kwa hekima na haki, na watoto wanapaswa kuwatii bila kupotoka. Mtoto asiyewasikiliza wazazi na kuleta matatizo huwafanya wazazi wasikitike, na familia nzima hukosa furaha, hubishana na kuhuzunika.

Mtoto anapowatii wazazi katika Bwana na kuwa mtu wa thamani katika jamii, wazazi hufurahi. Ndivyo ilivyo kati ya walimu na wanafunzi: walimu wanataka wanafunzi wawaheshimu, watumie yale waliyojifunza na wawe mfano mwema kwa wengine. Mwajiri anapenda wafanyakazi hodari wanaotii na kuchangia maendeleo kwa bidii, uaminifu na hekima. Mambo yote huenda vizuri tunapotii mpangilio. Vivyo hivyo, Mungu hupendezwa sana watoto wake wanapotii Neno. Wanapoacha uongo anaoupenda Shetani na kutenda Neno lake, huonekana wazuri sana machoni pake.

Biblia hueleza kwamba imani ya Abrahamu ilikamilika. Aliamini Mungu angeweza kuwafufua wafu na akamtii kwa furaha alipomwambia amtoe Isaka, mwanawe wa pekee aliyekuwa wa thamani kuliko maisha yake. Abrahamu alipendeza sana machoni pa Mungu; Mungu akahesabu imani na utii wake kuwa haki, akampenda na kumbariki kuwa baba wa imani.

• 3. Sababu zinazotufanya tushindwe kutii Neno la Mungu

Kinyume cha Abrahamu, Mfalme Sauli aliendelea kutotii na hatimaye Mungu akamkataa. Katika 1 Samweli 15, Sauli alitumia mawazo yake mwenyewe kutotii amri ya Mungu ya kuwaangamiza kabisa Waamaleki. Hakuua Agagi mfalme wa Amaleki bali alimkamata akiwa hai, na akahifadhi kondoo na ng’ombe bora; akaangamiza tu vitu vilivyodharauliwa na visivyofaa.

Kutotii kwa Sauli kulimfanya akataliwe na Mungu na kiti chake cha enzi kikapewa Daudi. Ndiyo maana nabii Samweli alimkemea kwa ukali: “Je, Bwana huzipenda sadaka za kuteketezwa na dhabihu sawasawa na kuitii sauti ya Bwana? Kutii ni bora kuliko dhabihu, na kusikia kuliko mafuta ya beberu. Maana kuasi ni kama dhambi ya uchawi, na ukaidi ni kama uovu na kuabudu sanamu. Kwa kuwa umelikataa neno la Bwana, yeye naye amekukataa wewe usiwe mfalme” (1 Samweli 15:22-23). Tunajifunza nini? Watu hushindwa kutii kwa sababu ya mawazo yao wenyewe. Sehemu nyingi za Biblia zinapingana na maarifa yetu: tukijinyenyekeza tutainuliwa, tukifa tutapata uzima, na mtu akitupiga shavu la kuume tumgeuzie la kushoto. Haya hayaafikiani na mawazo ya kawaida. Tusipotii Neno kwa sababu halipatani na maarifa yetu, hatuwezi kumpendeza Mungu wala kutafuta moyo wake.

1 Yohana 4:20 husema mtu akisema anampenda Mungu huku akimchukia ndugu yake ni mwongo; asiyempenda ndugu aliyemwona hawezi kumpenda Mungu asiyemwona. Hatuwezi kudai tunampenda Mungu tusipowapenda na kuutafuta moyo wa watu tunaowaona katika familia, kazini na kanisani. Kumbuka, tunamtii Mungu tunapoacha kufanya mambo kulingana na mawazo yetu na kutenda kulingana na Neno lake.

• 4. Mungu hutenda kazi ndani ya wenye haki wanaotii

Tuseme mtu anataka kuondoka nyumbani ili kutimiza kazi ya Mungu, lakini ghafla matatizo makubwa yanatokea katika familia yake. Akifikiri, “Nitawezaje kuiacha familia yangu ikiwa ina matatizo?” na asiondoke, kazi ya Mungu itakuwaje? Akitii akisema, “Nilifanya uamuzi huo mbele za Mungu, kwa hiyo nitaenda,” Mungu atayafanya yote yatende kazi pamoja kwa mema. Anayeweka kando mawazo yake na kumtii Mungu ndiye awezaye kutimiza kazi zake kwa kiwango kikubwa.

Tukiongozwa na mawazo yetu, hatuwezi kumtii Mungu wala kufuata mioyo ya wenzi wetu, familia na watu wanaotuzunguka. Tutawezaje kujua na kufuata moyo wa Mungu ulio mpana kuliko wa mwanadamu? Warumi 8:7-8 husema nia ya mwili ni uadui juu ya Mungu; haitii Sheria ya Mungu, wala haiwezi kuitii, na walio katika mwili hawawezi kumpendeza Mungu. Mungu ni upendo, lakini hufanya kazi ndani ya haki; hatendi kwa wale wasiomtii. Kadiri tunavyokuwa wenye haki kwa utii, ndivyo Mungu anavyoweza kufanya kazi pamoja nasi na kutuongoza kwenye mafanikio. Tunaona hili kwa mjane wa Sarepta wakati wa ukame mkubwa, aliyekuwa na chakula cha mlo mmoja tu. Eliya mtu wa Mungu alimwomba amwandalie mkate mdogo, akaahidi kwamba unga na mafuta havitaisha hadi Mungu atakaponyesha mvua (1 Wafalme 17:14). Kwa mtu wa kawaida agizo hilo lilikuwa gumu, lakini mjane alitii. Hadi ukame ulipoisha, aliishi bila wasiwasi wa chakula. Vivyo hivyo, tukimpendeza Mungu kwa matendo ya utii, tunaweza kupokea tunachoomba. Ondoa mawazo ya kibinadamu, tii Neno pekee na uwe mwenye haki wa kweli ili umtukuze Mungu.