Conscious Obedience

There are times when I just don't know what I should do.  Then there are other times when God reveals His will clearly.  Moving to Montana was just such an occasion.  Initially I suppose things were somewhat cloudy, but through the process God's will became more and more clear.

Once presented with His desire for my life I had two options: obedience or disobedience.  I knew what I should do, but I also had compelling reasons to disobey and refuse to go.  Sounds kind of like Jonah (Thankfully I wasn't anywhere close to water. :)

Seriously though, we often think that ignoring God's call on our lives is okay and acceptable behavior, but it's not!  Even Jesus was compelled to obey the Father's will even to the point of what road He should take back to Galilee.  As I read John 4:1-6 verse 4 jumped out at me.  "And He had to pass through Samaria." (emphasis mine).

Go to your shelf and pull out your map of Israel  - don't have one, then you'll just have to take my word for it.  There is more than one way to get to Galilee from Judea.  In fact, most Jews would rather cross the Jordan and travel through Gentile land then be caught in Samaria.  So I ask myself, "Why did He have to pass through Samaria?"

I understand why Jesus left Judea, conflict was rising and His ministry was gaining attention from the Pharisees so He needed to leave, but why go though Samaria?  The only reasonable answer is that there was something He needed to do in Samaria.

Jesus' relationship with His Father enabled Him to know the will of God and consciously obey.  Jesus had to fulfill the mission given to Him by the Father.  He was always conscious of doing the Father's will, that is why He came to earth.  "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. [Jn. 6:38]

Christ's life is the example we are to follow.  We are to have the same attitude as Christ, one of conscious obedience.  Not obedience out of compulsion or fear or a need for acceptance, but obedience based on a relationship we have with the Father, one of love.