You deserve my best - by Bec Bonython

How good are we at being obedient? I guess the other side to that coin is, why don’t we always obey?
There is an inherent desire in all of us to try to do what is right, but somehow we seem to always fall short and never attain that goal of always obeying. From not doing our chores when asked, to following traffic regulations (don’t get me started!!!), to misconduct, fraudulent behaviour or injury.
Through Jesus’ eyes, all disobedience is sin, however, the consequences of our actions may vary based on the seriousness of the disobedience.
Take some comfort, we are not alone! I'm sure you can think of countless stories in the bible where disobedience occurred - the Israelites in the wilderness, Samson, David, Solomon, Moses… the list goes on.
Fundamentally, I think we sometimes find it hard to be obedient because we humans are sinful, but I also think it's because we like to hide ugly things. Hide the guilt or shame we might be feeling. Hide the self-worth or self-importance we think we need to have. Maybe it’s to hide the fact that we don’t like to be wrong. Maybe it’s to hide something else. Whatever it may be, our disobedience doesn’t solve the problem; often it makes things worse. And consequently, it can lead us to become self-focused rather than God-focused.
Too often we can narrowly interpret obedience as the avoidance of getting into trouble. Yet what God requires is that we conform our thoughts to His, our desires to His, our ways to His. Through our worship, we offer ourselves to the Lord to do, say and act as He would require us. This is obedience. This is worship. In doing so we reap the rewards and fullness of being in Him.
To quote Skip Hetizig “As you grow in your faith, God empowers you to do what pleases Him. In that way, all you do becomes an act of worship – of saying “You deserve my best, God, at home and at work and in my community”
Romans 12:1,2 states it beautifully “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
God in His grace will always extend His hand of mercy into our lives to forgive us and we can be confident that no matter what, God loves us so much and His love is unconditional and knows no limits!