Daily Prayer - Obey

Good Friday morning, my friends.

 

Yesterday I mentioned that Jesus asks us to do two things - believe and obey - and we talked about belief or faith.  What about obey?

 

I love the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7.  Jesus takes back "the Law" as corrupted by religious leaders over the years and brings them back to what was in God's heart when He gave them.  To me this is Jesus' declaration of His authority.  In fact, it ends with people being amazed "because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law" (Matthew 7:29).  He then goes on in the subsequent chapters to prove his authority through miracle after miracle.

 

But just before the end of the Sermon on the Mount there is a very familiar passage.  Jesus says:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. (Matthew 7:24-17)

So this begs the question: are we wise or are we fools?  A wise man takes what he as heard and learned and puts it in to practice.  A fool hears the same words, thinks to himself "what a great sermon" and nothing changes in his life.  God does not keep track of how many Sundays we go to church or how many bible studies or "religious" events we attend.  He looks to see how these teachings are lived out in our lives.  He wants obedience.  All of the greatest Bible teachings in the world are useless to us unless it permeates every aspect of how we live.

 

Jesus said: "If you love me, keep my commands." (John 14:15)

 

So how you and I doing at loving Jesus?

 

Perhaps you will recognize this prayer as the words to a very familiar children's song.  Build your house on the Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

 

 

The wise man built his house upon the rock

The wise man built his house upon the rock

The wise man built his house upon the rock

And the rain came tumbling down

 

Oh, the rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

And the wise man's house stood firm.

 

The foolish man built his house upon the sand

The foolish man built his house upon the sand

The foolish man built his house upon the sand

And the rain came tumbling down

 

Oh, the rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

And the foolish man's house went "splat!" [clap hands once]

 

So, build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ

Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ

Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ

And the blessings will come down

 

Oh, the blessings come down

As your prayers go up

The blessings come down

As your prayers go up

The blessings come down

As your prayer go up

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

Bruce MacPherson

macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821

 

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