Naked

“Papa, can I go in the water?” This question came from my three-year-old grandson who had joined me and some friends for an outing to a beautiful lake in the mountains of British Columbia. I was putting up our tent when the request came. “Yes, but do not get your clothes wet.” He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt at the time.

I looked over a few minutes later, and he was totally naked! This made me laugh, since he was obviously making sure he was not going to get his clothes wet!! Such simple obedience.

In the Parable of the Sower recorded in Mark’s gospel, the seed represents the Word of God. The seed is sown in four types of people. Three struggle with obedience: one because of spiritual forces, another because of affliction and persecution, and the third because of worries of the world and deceitfulness of riches. The fourth, however, accepts the Word and the result is dramatic.

If I am willing to allow God’s Word, through the power of his Spirit, to shape my actions, God will produce fruit in my life. This crop is described as the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). I like this list. It comes from a willingness to trust God and obey him. Simple obedience means a daily willingness to follow God’s directions, trusting that he himself is giving us the ability to do so.

Father God, I know your words and your instructions to me come from your love and wisdom. You desire my best. I need your strength to resist Satan, to stand firm in affliction and persecution. I need your power to be calm in the midst of worries and to understand the false security that comes from material things. I want to be the person that experiences the fruit of obedience by walking in your Spirit. Amen.

Throughout this Day: Invite the Spirit to guide you as your reflect on these questions:

• How careful am I about obedience?
• Do I think carefully about my actions to be “absolutely sure” I’m being obedient to God’s Word, trusting in the Spirit to do so?

God’s commands are always given to protect me and to provide a good future for me, and he himself gives me all I need to obey through his indwelling Spirit.