With God’s help, I can obey … – 5 October 2022

Our life is filled with choices. Our choices determine the direction of our lives. To reach the right destination, it really matters whether I turn right or left at the stop signs along the way!

When Jesus becomes Lord in my life, I am born again and become a new person, as 2 Corinthians 5:17 proclaims. This new person is not taken to heaven immediately. We are being sent into this world with a mission. In the four gospels, we have seen many examples of how our Lord Jesus called people: “Follow me!” He invites us to journey with him on the path of life. It may be the greatest adventure to share your life with him, as a disciple of Christ. A disciple is someone who follows in the footsteps of Jesus.

When we have committed our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we do not turn into robots. We are still fully human, with our own will and our own responsibility to make good choices. God has the heart of a father and it is pleasing to him when his child chooses to love and obey him. In everything we do, there are choices that we have to make. Am I going to honour and obey God by this choice? Will it be edifying to my neighbour if I choose and act as I plan to do? Will it build my own character in Christ; will his image shine through if I choose as I plan to do? Will my choice bear witness to the goodness and love of God?

The Holy Spirit helps us to know God’s will. He helps us to understand the principles given to us in the Bible. He gives us the strength to obey God’s commands. He leads us on the right path, to the glory of his name. He leads, and we follow gladly on the path of holiness and glory.

There is always the possibility that we may choose wrongly. We are still human; we make mistakes along the way. The old me – my sinful nature – is always present in my life on this earth. The natural me usually wants to choose my own plans and my own goals in life. That which my sinful nature desires, is usually outside the will of God – it does not honour him, edify my neighbour or build my character. Therefore, with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, I learn to discern the better way, the choices which honour God. And when I choose wrongly, I fall into the grace of God, helping me up, teaching me and giving me another chance to grow.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are the God of relationships. Thank you that I may be your child and walk the path of life with you. Thank you for the guidance and the strength of the Holy Spirit, leading me to make the right choices every day. And thank you for your grace when I make mistakes, for new beginnings and fresh starts. Amen