Scripture
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. -John 14:15 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" -Romans 12:1
A true marker that a believer loves the Lord is their obedience and surrender to Him. True love for God is expressed in our actions, not just our words. We express our affection towards Him by obeying His teaching, correction, and commands. His teaching and commands may not align with the plans and habits we have established for our lives, therefore, we yield our plans and lives to align with His. It's actively yielding all that we are, flaws and all to Him. Our lives become sacrifices unto Him to do what He wills. Think of obedience and surrender as a figure eight pattern. In order to fully surrender our lives to Him, we need to be obedient. In order to be obedient to His teachings, we need to surrender to them.
What does obedience and surrender to God produce in the life of a believer? It produces divine transformation. Our obedience and surrender to Him expresses that we are willing to let go of the persona we've built up to take on the nature of His Son. It expresses that we're willing to let go of our intellectual ideals for His truth. We are relinquishing control. By doing this we gain divine strength, purpose, and joy, while aligning our lives with God's perfect, protective will. When Jesus told His disciples to love Him by obeying His commands, He was expressing that obedience is a fruit of loving Him not a cause of loving Him. Our obedience and surrender to God are signs of true love for Him.
Beloved, we gain so much through our obedience and surrender to the Most High God. We gain deep inner peace because we let go of the need to control outcomes, which reduces anxiety and brings peace in difficult circumstances. Our lives are no longer ours, so we can lean into His protection and wisdom in every situation. We gain purpose when we're obedient and yielded to Him. We begin living a purposeful life that bears perpetual fruit and righteousness. Finally, we gain a life of joy and fulfillment. He gives us satisfaction and fulfills our true desires, which are aligned with His because we're surrendered to Him. Do you love Him, Beloved?
Prayer
Father, we commit our lives to you today. We walk in total obedience and complete surrender to you, Lord. We are your living sacrifice. Amen
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