Sink or Swim

Once, when I was a little girl, I was out with my family at the beach. My sister and I were playing in the water. My dad warned me not to go too far. I tested the waters, so to speak, and went farther than he commanded. He warned me again. I continued in my disobedience and rebelled.

My dad knew something I didn't. He knew that just a few feet from where I was safely wading, was a boat launch. The water looked the same a few feet away from me, as it did right in front of me. The ground was still solid beneath my feet, so I did what all of us do. I continued walking. In my little girl mind, I thought knew more about the situation than my dad.

That is, until I walked a little too far. I confidently took that next step, and the ground beneath me vanished. To spectators on the beach, I was there one minute and gone the next.

You guessed it, I fell into the boat launch. The same place my dad had seen, just a few minutes previous. The same terror my dad had warned me about. The same tribulation that I had brought on myself because of my disobedience.

Sound familiar?

How often does our Father in Heaven warn us against things in our lives? The God we have so arrogantly named the cosmic killjoy, commands us from doing things that seem so wonderful.

• Why would God command us to stay pure before marriage, when sex is so fun?
• Why would God command us to forgive that person, when bitterness is so much easier and to some degree, feels so much better?
• Why would God command us to spend time in His word, when it seems outdated and inapplicable to our lives?

Why would my dad tell me to not go any further, when the water looked the same?

The answer is the same for all of those questions, because he knows what is best for us.

Yes, sex without marriage seems like so much fun. But talk to the woman who got pregnant as a result, who is now a single mother struggling to keep her and her baby's mouth fed.

Forgiveness seems so foolish, after all, they wronged us. But, the main person forgiveness helps...is the person who forgives.

Spending time in the word of God seems pointless, outdated and boring. But, like any discipline, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. The more you seek God, the more you will find Him. And oh, what a delightful treat you will find. As you spend more and more time in His Word, you will realize that what you once thought about it, has changed to the opposite.

Obedience is hard. We think we know what is best for us. We think we can take care of ourselves. Then, we are surprised when we sink. 

Obedience is what God is calling us to today. 

How will you answer?

We would LOVE it if you linked up with a post about what God is showing you in the Word or in your life. Please also stop by and see what God has been teaching each co-hosts this week:

Sarah at Fontenot Four
Kelly at The Houtz House Party
Becky at Tales of Beauty For Ashes
Kelly at Exceptionalistic

Falen at Upward Not Inward

Into the Word Wednesday Blog Hop Rules:

1. Write a post about what God is teaching you this week.

2. Follow the host and hostesses via GFC.

3. Grab a button to put on your blog - the more the merrier!

4. Check out (and comment) other people's blogs.

5. Be blessed by all the sisters and brothers around the world.