Introductory Thoughts
The children of Israel had an important decision to make: whether to obey the Lord or unwisely refuse to obey Him. The Lord assured His children that their obedience would pay off with fruitful dividends. He promised to bless their obedience and curse their disobedience. The Bible clearly lists the blessings of obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Though the blessings of obedience can vary from one person to the next, obedience always yields God's blessing. For instance, Abraham was told that all nations would be blessed in his seed because he obeyed the voice of the Lord (Genesis 22:18). Isaiah told the Israelites that, if they would obey, they would eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19). Jeremiah told his audience that their obedience would cause it to be well with their soul and that their souls would live (Jeremiah 38:20). Blessings received from obedience may vary, but the blessings of obedience are well worth any temporary fleshly sacrifice.
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): Obeying makes us feel good inside. Sometimes it brings rewards an ice cream cone, a new toy, staying up a little later one night, etc. Yet, the best reward is knowing that what you've done is well pleasing to the Lord (Colossians 3:20).
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(For everyone): What are some blessings that a child might receive by obeying his parents? What are some blessings that a worker might receive by obeying his boss? What are some blessings that believers might receive by obeying the Lord?
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How do you feel when you have obeyed when no one is watching? Do you feel a sense of joy or feelings of remorse for doing right? The joy that we feel and the lack of guilt might be an element of the blessings of obedience.
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask God to help you see the blessings resulting from obedience.
- Ask the Lord to help you consider the negative consequences resulting from making a decision to disobey.
Song
Trust and Obey
