It is a dreary holiness indeed that is merely resisting sin.
The joy of holiness is found in having heard a sweeter song.
~ Sam Storms, One Thing
What drives you to choose right?
- The fear of punishment otherwise?
- Avoiding guilt that accompanies doing wrong?
- Maintaining your holy reputation?
Or do you choose right...
- Because it brings you joy to please the Father?
- Because you delight in the things he delights in?
- Because you’re so in awe of God you want to follow his footsteps?
Honestly, it’s still a mixture for me.
I want to grow more towards the latter—to obey out of love instead of avoidance of consequences.
With increased knowledge comes intensified love. As understanding grows, so too does affection and fascination.
With each new insight comes more joy, which serves only to stoke the fires of celebration around the throne.
...In other words, the more we like God the more like God we become!
So how can we do that?
- Keep learning about God.
- Keep being amazed at his works.
- Keep focusing on his greatness.
Don’t just resist to avoid the bad;
concentrate hard on enjoying the good.
Listen for the sweeter song today and worship God in it!
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and
to inquire in his temple.
Psalm 27:4
* * *
Excerpts from Sam Storms’ book
One Thing: Developing a Passion for the Beauty of God
I highly recommend it!
What motivates you to obey?
7 comments:
I used to make choices from fear...but now it's b/c I love Him...and want to show my gratitude. It's true...."with increased knowledge comes intensified love." Hope your weekend is going great.
Thank you for the very thought provoking post. And your honesty! Hope y'all have a good Sunday!
Obedience from a place of love....and a hunger to serve God...this is my desire...Thanks for this inspiring post, Lisa..
Wow, that first one really packs a punch. I'm still a mixture as well.
I remember in Isobel Kuhn's biography, she mentioned being involved in all sorts of "worldly" things, and when she became a Christian, one by one those things fell to the wayside not because anyone preached at her about them, but because the more she came to know and love the Lord, those things just fell away.
I love that idea of a "sweeter song". I'm still in the mixture, as well--fighting sin sometimes out of love, sometimes out of obligation. Yet I, too, want to grow to the point where the pleasures of God crowd out the desire for the fleeting pleasures of the world.
Your post made me really think about why I do what I do. Like you, my obedience is the result of mixed motives. My goal is to obey out of pure love for my Lord, and I pray that He will get there.
For me doing right is partly because when I do wrong I feel guilty. I don't like that guilty feeling. Of course the temptation is always there but the more you resist temptation the easier it becomes. Love should definitely be the motivating factor. I wanted my kids to obey me because they loved me, not just because they feared me. I think God feels this way.
Thank you for sharing this thought provoking post.
Blessings,
Charlotte
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