TRIALS AND OBEDIENCE
SONG
Trust and obey, for there's no other way,
to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey
TEXT
"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; " (Heb 5 verse 8).
From our Scripture reading this morning, we see Jesus, the only Begotten Son of God, go through suffering. Nevertheless, He humbled Himself to learn obedience through all that He went through.
It's sad that many people don't know what constitutes obedience and the impact it has on us as Christians. Let us therefore consider what obedience is, especially in the midst of trials and temptations.
As Christians in the school of afflictions, obedience is not just a matter of submission, but is in addition a heartfelt surrender to the will of the Almighty. The beautiful aim or end of obedience in the face of hardship or temptation is that through it, our character is not only shaped to conform to Divine will, it draws us closer to God. Trials of life serve to deepen our reliance upon the Lord aside from refining our character.
For example, in the life of Job, we observe that his submission during afflictions bore witness to his unwavering faith; and in the end, he was not only restored, but blessed abundantly.
The story of Joseph in the Bible can serve as another perfect example for us to consider. Prior to his assumption to the position of the second in command in Egypt, Joseph went through a variety of trials. First, he was hated and eventually sold into Egypt by his own blood brothers. (Genesis 37 verse 28). Later, he became a slave in the house Potiphar (Genesis 39 verses 1 to 4); and from there, he was committed to prison for an offense he didn't commit (Genesis 39 verses 9). Eventually, by Divine orchestration, he assumed the position of authority in the land that he was terribly made to suffer (Genesis 41 verses 41 to 46). It is safe to conclude therefore that the trials of Joseph were tools of preparation for him to fit into the great tasks or positions that were set ahead of him. But we have to note that throughout his ordeals in Egypt, he remained steadfastly obedient and lived to please God.
In the same vein, the trials of our Lord Jesus served to prepare Him for the great sacrifice that He was ordained to make for humanity. Obedience is an act of outright trust and submission to God’s divine plan, even when our understanding of what we are going through is clouded by sorrow or pain.
Our Scripture reading for today says that "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; " Yes, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior went through suffering. As gold is purified through the heat of the furnace so that it can be molded into desired shapes, so also, our character and personality are purified and molded by the challenges and tribulations we encounter in life. But this happens only when we are obedient or submissive to God. This is so because it's through suffering that we learn obedience.
In Jeremiah 18 verse 6, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah concerning Israel saying, "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.". The problem with Israel there was disobedience (Jeremiah 18 verses 7 to 10). Do you live in disobedience?
In your own life, what lessons have you learned from the challenges you have faced? Through obedience, did you allow those challenges to lead you into a deeper relationship with God Like Jesus Christ, God's only Begotten Son, have you learned obedience amidst your trials by being submissive and embracing the refining fire that was intended by God to shape your very life?
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, teach me to obey Your Word above every other thing to the end that I might attain my full purpose in life in Jesus' Mighty name.