Bible Stories for the Young
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Throughout all these stories, have you noticed how often God asked for some small act of obedience from people He was helping and healing?
Fill up the water jars. Come, Follow Me. Draw Me some water. Stand up and walk. Pick up your mat. Stretch out your hand. Sell all you have. Wash your eyes. Go, tell the priests. Roll the stone away.
Why do you think God asked them to DO something? Could it be because He knows that we have to learn to be soft-hearted Do-ers? People who will cooperate with Him.
Listen to what Jesus said about obedience:
“Everyone who hears My words and then does what I said to do, is like a wise person who built his house on a rock. The rain falls, the ground floods, and the winds blooooow and beat against the house. But that house doesn’t fall down because its foundation is on solid rock.
“But if a person hears My words and doesn’t do what I say, he is like a foolish person who built his house on shiiiiifting sand. The rain falls, the ground floods, and the winds blooooow and beat against that house, and it SPLAT! — crashes to the ground, totally destroyed!”
Have you ever been on the beach and built a sandcastle? Have you noticed how quickly the sand can wash away? It’s not a very strong building material, is it? It collapses under your feet when you step on it and is easily blown away by wind or washed away by water. On the other hand, what about a big rock? Yeah! A big rock is strong and solid, isn’t it?
Jesus is telling them that it’s not just “right” to obey Him. It’s wise, which means it’s a deeeeep kind of smart — because He knows what‘s best. And it’s “foolish” or a deeeeep kind of empty to disobey Him.
When the storms of life come and try to flood us and blow us over in confusion or heartache, a wise person is safe and secure, because they’ve built their life on the rock — the ROCK of obedience to God, putting God’s words into action!
But when those same storms happen to the foolish, disobedient-to-God person — SPLAT! Crash… destroyed.
After Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by His teaching, because He taught them like someone who had the power and the right to give orders (unlike the religious pretenders who claimed to be experts).
Okay. We need to talk about this more. I hope you understand by now that God is our ALMIGHTY Creator and that He has both the power and the right to give us orders, to tell us what to do.
And that’s not a “bad” thing or even a “hard thing.” That is an Awesome thing — because He Loves us and knows what is best for us. He’s trying to HELP us.
Now let me tell you another awesome thing. God, as a Loving Daddy in Heaven, gave children one simple, super duper, crystal clear order to help them through childhood. Are you ready to hear it? God said, “OBEY your parents in the Lord because this is RIGHT!”
I’m sure you understand that order, don’t you? I imagine that comes up for you every. single. day.
Just as Jesus has the power and the right to give orders, He gave parents the power and the right to give their children orders. Why do you think He did that? To help you, of course.
Our Father in Heaven doesn’t “like to be the boss so that He can give orders.” Noooooooo. He loves us. He wants what is best for us. And He knows what is best for us. So He knows we need to learn to listen to Him.
By learning how to respect and obey your parents, who you can see and hear easily, you are learning how to obey God. Ohhh, and THAT, my little friends, is a rock-solid foundation for you to build your life on — Obedience to God.
Can you see that it’s very important to respect your parents and respond with obedience as they try to teach you God’s language and ways? Like when your parents tell you to clean your room… or tell you not to fuss… or to not take toys from other children... You need to obey your parents because He has given them the responsibility to help you by giving you orders. They’re not trying to “be the boss.” They’re trying to help you.
Now that you’ve heard what Jesus said about this… what are you going to DO about it? What kind of action do you need to take to be that wise person Jesus talked about it? Well, DO it!
