I Hear Your Voice Speaking

OBEDIENCE TO OUR FATHER
Obedience, a word of command, authority and consequences.  Obedience is taught before we can even pronounce it, let alone spell it. It is demanded of us through love and concern for our well-being. When not carried out, there is a repercussion of unpleasantness.  So, with our human intelligence, why is it so hard to walk and live in obedience, especially when it is commanded through love?  

How many times daily do you slip over the edge of obedience into the rut of disobedience?  Disobedience in our thoughts, our actions, our speech, our looks, even the blatant "not going to happen" attitude. Wow, not sure I want to recap that one!  And yet, the highly intelligent beings we are, knowing that we sin because of disobedience and reap the unpleasant consequences, we still continue to do it anyways. Why is that?  I don't know other than that wonderful "Me" encouraged by the enemy appears and gets into our head and hearts. 

But, as always, God has given us examples in His word to encourage us and show us that there is always a better way, His way.  In Jeremiah 35 there were a people called the Recabites. This was a family who lived in obedience and didn't have unpleasant consequences to face, quite the contrary, they were blessed because they obeyed.

Lets recap this chapter, as it is the example we should be following. God spoke to Jeremiah, giving him the instructions to invite the Recabite family to sip some wine. The invitation went forth and the family accepted graciously. I mean, who is going to turn down an invitation from Jeremiah. They were seated and cups of wine were placed in front of the men of the family. I'm sure they smiled and politely said, "We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: 'Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. Also, you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.'" Speaking of commands, there are a few for you. While reading this, how many of you are thinking, those are some tough commands to follow and be obedient to. Well, lets see if they did obey these commands.
The men of the Recabite family replied, "We have obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab son of Recab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab commanded us."
Now lets see what God has to say about all of this!  God spoke again to Jeremiah, telling him to go to the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem and share this bit of information with them.  Say to them, "Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?"  "Jonadab son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather's command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me."  I highlighted some key words and I think you might be getting my drift here.
God doesn't stop there, He carries His message a bit further. Here comes a command, not a suggestion. He says, "Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them." Thought I would highlight some more key words for you once again, just for some emphasis. 
Again, God reminds them, "But you have not paid attention or listened to me. The descendants of Jonadab son of Recab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.' Here comes that word "therefore". "Therefore, this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, (just in case you forgot who He is) says: 'Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them.. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.'" God doesn't mess around with disobedience.
There are consequences to our disobedience, but there are blessings as we obey that which is spoken to us. God didn't forget the Recabite family, on the contrary He says, "You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.' Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Recab will never fail to have a man to serve me.'"  Would you not agree with me that obedience pays off!
Father, help us to be listening and obeying Your word. Help us to turn from our wicked ways, to reform our actions and not be following other gods to serve them. Let our lives be of and for You only, following You and living as You have planned for us. Let us have hearts that seek after You only. Father, do a work in our lives so that we will have 
OBEDIENCE TO OUR FATHER
Amen