“This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand” (Exodus 13:9).

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word, “Obedience?”

I am sure there are many responses from all of you, but I would be shocked if “Joy” and “Delight” were what you were thinking. If you thought those words, let me know! Because you’ve got it right.

The context of the verse for today comes from the Exodus. The Israelites just escaped Egypt. They are free. It’s after they’ve experienced the Passover and the mass exodus out of Egypt that Moses commands the Israelites to observe the Passover every year as a memorial and a reminder of all that God did for them.

Don’t miss the order: the command for obedience and observance comes only after salvation. The Jews were set free. They had already crossed the Red Sea. They’ve already seen the Pharaoh’s army drowned. They’ve already seen God’s love and protection for them through the first Passover.

Only after they’ve experienced salvation, does the call for obedience come up. Obedience is the response of the saved, rescued, and the redeemed. Obedience reminds us of God’s awesome salvation.

Obeying God, his commands, and his word is not how we gain access to God. Obedience doesn’t earn us a spot in God’s kingdom. Obedience is the response of those who have already been saved.

We obey, not to gain God’s favor, but because we have already been favored through the salvation purchased for us by the cross, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Our obedience is our joyful and willing response because of all that God has done for us.

So the next time you think about obedience? Think “Joy” and “Delight” because Christ has already done the work of salvation.

“Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Be wise who you give your ear, heart, time, and mind to.

If you are around the wrong people long enough, if you listen to the wrong things long enough, pretty soon what is wrong will seem right while what is right will seem wrong.

Be wise who you give your ear, heart, time, and mind to.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, there are several things you can do to protect yourself from error.

First, commit to weekly worship. We need a weekly reminder of who God is and who we are. We need a weekly recalibration that takes place as we listen to God’s word preached. This is not an option. We need to worship. God is not the one who needs to be worshiped. It is we who need to weekly hear and eat from God’s word.

Second, commit to a daily reading of God’s word. God’s word is the greatest weapon against falsehood, error, and sin. We read God’s word because we need it. This too is not an option. God’s people need God’s truth found in God’s word.

Finally, surround yourself with people who have committed to submit to God and God’s word. Be with those committed to God-honoring character.

“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for humankind” (Psalm 66:5).
“Come, taste and see, that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8).

First, please accept my apologies. Somehow the Verse of the Day for Tuesday ended up getting lost somewhere in the web universe.

Now to the Verse of the Day.

One of the things people complain about the Christian faith is that it requires “blind” faith, that to be a Christian you have to lay aside your brain and science because science and reason and faith are incompatible.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. God is not intimidated by science and reason. God created science and reason. God doesn’t shy away. In fact, God’s invitation is “Try me out.” “See for yourselves.” “Come and see what I have done.” “Come and taste and see. I’ve got nothing to hide, nothing to lose. Try faith for yourself, you’re going to see how amazing and good the LORD is.”

The reason why many people get confused about the faith thing is because some believe that your troubles are over when you become a Christian.

That’s a problem because there is nothing in the Bible that supports that.

Even in the Psalm above look at what the psalmist declares in Psalm 66:10-12:

For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.
You let the people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you, brought us to a place of abundance.

Look, God saves us from sin and judgment, but God does not save us from suffering and sorrow. Suffering and sorrow is part of what it means to be human.

Believing in God doesn’t mean your loved ones will never suffer and die, or that you will never be sick and diseased, that you will always be wealthy and healthy. There is nothing in the Bible that says that. Besides, if this were the case, no Christian and their loved one would ever die, get sick, and suffer! That’s absurd!!!

When the only pathway to salvation for us was through Calvary and the cross, why do we think that the pathway for discipleship will be paved in gold and comfort? That just isn’t in the Bible.

What God does promise is, not that there won’t be any suffering, but that even in the midst of suffering God is present to strengthen and give us peace and joy. There is nothing in the created universe that can separate us from the love, the plan, and the peace of God.

That is our victory. That is discipleship. That is Christian faith.

And, God’s invitation to you and me, “Come and see. Check it out for yourself!”