Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 9:38, Nehemiah 10:1-39, John 14:15, Hebrews 4:15
Find me managing a tantrum in the middle of the bread aisle and I might sing a different tune, but I want more from my children than blind obedience. I don’t want them to toe the line based strictly on fear of consequences. Our home is not a police state, after all. I want my children’s obedience to reflect the condition of their hearts, for their actions to be a response to the love and care they’ve been given.
As I consider my role in the family of God, I know the Father wants the same from me. As an unbeliever, I couldn’t work up the oomph to care much about what God said about how I should live. At best, He seemed like an aloof father figure, and at worst, an unreasonable tyrant. Like a toddler determined to have her own way, I rebelled.
As a new believer, I swung the pendulum of obedience to extremes. I wanted to obey all the rules, do all the right things, avoid all the wrong ones. I saw God as a hyper-attentive helicopter parent. I lived in constant fear of disappointing Him. But I’ve been walking with Christ for twenty years now, and a beautiful shift has transpired. Much like what happened with my earthly parents as I hit my mid-twenties, I want to please God—not because of fear of consequences, but because He is so clearly worthy of my unequivocal devotion and respect. Rather than being motivated by fear, my obedience has become the way I say “thank you” for all He has done for me.
Here, in Nehemiah 9-10, we see God’s people growing up, maturing. They’ve been through a rebellious phase, and it has cost them dearly. In the eras preceding Nehemiah’s day, God’s people saw Him as an oppressive and unreasonable Father, and their warped view of Him fueled generations of rebellion. But because He is a loving Father, He graciously gathered them together again. He reminded them of His expectations and gave them another chance to get it right. They looked around at their scattered tribes, their rubbled city, their fallen comrades, and their perspective shifted.
God is good.
His ways are best.
Rebellion leads to destruction.
For all of chapter 10, God’s children declared what they would and would not do in response to God’s love. We’ve heard it all before, but the tone is different here. Just like the children I tuck into bed every night, they would not obey perfectly, but their hearts had changed. For the first time in a long time, they wanted to obey their Father. In all things, they were determined to “not neglect the house of God” (Nehemiah 10:39).
Love and obedience are tied together with a sacred cord. That’s why Christ cut to the chase with these words: “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15). Author Paul David Tripp puts it this way: “Obedience is not what gets you grace. It’s the evidence that grace has gotten you.” Belief leads to obedience, because when we see who God really is, we want to live like He asks us to. It is our loving response to the God who is Love.
Erin Davis is an author, blogger, and speaker who loves to see women of all ages run to the deep well of God’s Word. When she’s not writing, you can find Erin chasing chickens and children on her small farm in the Midwest.
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28 thoughts on "We Promised to Be Faithful to God"
Blessings my sisters! On this Memorial Day lets be thankful for all those who have sacrificed for our freedom in this country!
Amen
It is always encouraging to me to see the Israelites seeking and accepting God’s grace. It is a reminder to me that His grace is always available to me. And, as Erin shared in her devotion, my obedience to God is my “response” for His never-ending grace, not obligation…the difference between knowing of God (in my mind) and knowing God (in my heart).
What stuck out to me was the specific vows they were making: they were all about maintaining the house of God. While they could have (and probably did) vow to uphold the rest of the Law, here they specifically only list out those laws that are intended to provide for the upkeep of God’s house. First things first. Priorities. They must have known that if they get this area down and running smoothly, the rest of their society will flow from there.
What a reminder to get those first things first – and as the reading said, to do so out of love.
I’m walking into a major rebuilding stage of my personal life after a traumatic year exposed 20 years of mess inside me. My counselor had “tasked” me with daily Scripture reading. It still feels like a task, but increasingly more it’s something I do want to do each day out of my blossoming love for God and desire to see more of Him at work in this. Today’s reading was a beautiful reminder to keep the first things first, out of love.
Amy, I love what awesome words of wisdom you’ve shared and taken from today’s readings. I am so encouraged! Keeping first things first isn’t a reading I originally took from today’s study but after reading your interpretation, it’s ALL I can see. This is something I need to constantly remind myself and work on. I think I can get so caught up in our human work on earth, and constantly preparing for the “next big thing,” whether it be buying a house, getting my career really moving, or thinking about where my husband and I might want to live in the long term. But truly, as you’ve said, first things have to be kept first. We aren’t preparing for more earthly things, but rather for all the spiritual things and those up above. Thank you so much for this awesome reminder!
There is a verse in John that says “ if you love Me you’ll do as I commanded”. That verse irked me for the longest time until I had children of my own and realized the pain simple disobedience caused to me as a parent. The things I would ask of my children seems so trite in comparison to the outpouring of love that leads our Father to ask obedience of us. Parenting can be such a daily object lesson. I get it now. Obedience does keep us from destruction…God desires better things for a His people because of His great love us.
Well said!
To personalize what Erin said, “God wants my obedience toward Him to reflect the condition of my heart, for my actions to be a response to the love and care He has given me.” Thank you for replacing my heart of stone with a heart of flesh, and for helping me to will and to do what You want more than what I want, Lord.
Praying that I will have a tender heart as I continue to do what God has called me to do. Praying for my first grandchild, a boy, that is being knit in his mother’s womb. May he have a tender heart and serve in love.
It stands to reason: the One who knows everything about me is the One who loves me best. So also, as I know Him better, I love Him more and want to please Him with my entire life and being.
Perfect love. It’s what we all want.
“Pinky promise.” Sacred words to my four year old granddaughter. I’ve made several to her over these few years and I have been able to keep most of them. I am not able to perfectly deliver all the time. She has done the same in her pinky promises to her Mimi. I see the Israelites acknowledging the same here. They’ve made promises in the past and failed. Failed miserably and with dire consequences. Yet here they are again, making a vow, signing on the dotted line. They mean well and will try their best. They will not keep the Law perfectly. They just won’t because they can’t. Even with the best intentions , they and I will fail. But in God’s economy, like mine with sweet Julia, all is not lost. Love triumphs. While my covenant keeping ability is weak, God’s is not. He is always and forever a promise keeper. Because of His great love for us, He sent His Son to fulfill the Law for us all. No matter our mistakes, His blood forever covers all. W need only believe. The best the Israelites can do is good effort. The best Julia and I can do is good effort. But God never fails. Never. He always keeps His Word. Always. Pinky promise!
That was so good! Thank you!
Love this! Your comments are such a rich blessing!
Thank you Churchmouse, I always love your insight!