Reading With the People of God #7 CommitmentSample

Memorization Challenge:

6 Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. (Joshua 1:6-7 NLT)

Reading Primer:

“What does obey mean?” This is an honest question that I hear from my students frequently, and each time I hear it, I am shocked. Apparently, it is not as common as it used to be. This explains why some people view obedience as optional.

From our past reading, we know that Moses could not join God's people in the Promised Land due to a lack of obedience (and personal pride). Obedience is serious to God, and once again, we will read today of Deborah’s wisdom in understanding that Barak’s lack of obedience cost him. God still directed His desired outcome to remove an evil ruler, but He did it through someone else. His story and reputation in the Bible show Him to be less impactful than God intended.

Paul warns Timothy that a lack of obedience directly relates to a relationship with God. He shares specific truths about actually training spiritually, just as we train our bodies in exercise, to obey God. In fact, he equates this to our hope and relationship with our Savior.

In our Psalm today, the psalmist cries out to God for sustenance, help, and hope. These are cries that understand that God is not only Sovereign but relational. The details help us understand that we can share all of the minutiae in our trials because He cares, and the result of obedience brings hope.

As we read His Word and walk with Him, we find obedience to be something to strive for—a continual challenge but a rewarding one. While reading today, we should ask, “What does obey mean to God?” How can we strive for obedience to be used by God, strengthening our relationship with Him and bringing us hope?

- Gaylyn Mott, Teacher, Musician, Yarn Artist.