Bible Society of South Africa
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Make a difference – Day 8
Louise Gevers

Make a difference – Day 8

Obedience Makes a Difference to Life

Itekisi yeBhayibhile

1 KAPETROS 1

14Ziqheliseni ukululama, ningaziphathi ngendlela ebeniziphethe ngayo ngokuya beningekazi nto ngokholo.

1 KAPETROS 1:14XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

UHLAZIYO-MNQOPHISO 28

Kuluyolo ukuthobela

1“Ke ukuba ulithobele ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo uThixo wakho, wayenza ngononophelo imiyalelo endikunika yona namhlanje, uNdikhoyo uya kukuphakamisa kunazo zonke izizwe zehlabathi. 2Xa uthe walithobela ke walenza lizwi likaNdikhoyo uThixo wakho, nâzi iintsikelelo owozixhamla:

3“Wosikelelwa ezidolophini nasemaphandleni.

4“Wosikelelwa, umfazi wakho azale, emasimini indyebo ibe ngako, yona imfuyo yande, kubekho amathole namatakane.

5“Wosikelelwa, ingobozi yakho iphuphume isivuno, isitya sakho sokuxovulela sihlale sinentlama.

6“Wosikelelwa ekuphumeni kwakho, nasekubuyeni kwakho ngokunjalo.

7“UNdikhoyo uya kukuvathisa ngoloyiso, nditsho noba sewuhlaselwa ziintshaba. Zothi noba sezivela kwicala elithile, wena uzibethe zithi saa macal' onke.

8“UNdikhoyo uThixo uya kuwuthamsanqela umsebenzi wakho, izisele zakho zihlale ziphuphuma. Uya kukuthi jize ngamathamsanqa kwelo lizwe akunika lona.

9“Ukuba niyithobele imiyalelo nahamba ngokwelizwi lakhe, uNdikhoyo uThixo wenu uya kunimisela nibe ngabantu bakhe ncakasana ngokwesithembiso sakhe.

10“Ziya kuthi ke izizwe zehlabathi, zakuqonda ukuba uNdikhoyo unenze abantu bakhe, zitsho zinihlonele.

11“Ewe, uNdikhoyo wokuthi jize ngenkqubela, uzale abantwana, imfuyo yakho ibe namathole namatakane, amasimi akho axakathe isivuno kwelo lizwe uNdikhoyo wafunga ukubanika lona ooyihlo-mkhulu. 12UNdikhoyo uya kuwavula amazulu ngexesha elililo, imvula ayiphokoze kuvimba wakhe, awuthamsanqele umsebenzi wakho, khon' ukuze ungasweli nto, koko ubolekis' ezizweni, phofu wena ngokwakho ube ungafuni nto mntwini. 13UNdikhoyo uya kukwenza ube yimbalasane phakathi kwezizwe, ungabi semxukuxeleni. Uya kuba soloko unenkqubela, ungaze uwe phantsi, ukuba uyithobele wayenza imiyalelo yakhe endikunika yona namhlanje. 14Noba sekutheni na ungaze uphambuke nakancinane kule miyalelo; ungaze unqule ubuse *oothixo abangabambi.”

UHLAZIYO-MNQOPHISO 28:1-14XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

UYOHANE 14

Isithembiso ngoMoya oyiNgcwele

15“Ukuba niyandithanda noyigcina imiyalelo yam.

UYOHANE 14:15XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

UYOHANE 14

21“Lowo uyamkelayo imiyalelo yam ayigcine, nguye ondithandayo. Lowo ke undithandayo mna, uya kuthandwa nguBawo. Nam ndiya kumthanda, ndizibonakalise kuye.”

UYOHANE 14:21XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

IINDUMISO 66

18Ukuba ndandizigushile izono zam

uMhlekazi ebengayi kundiphulaphula.

IINDUMISO 66:18XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” 1 Peter 1:14

Obedience is beautiful. Whether it’s seen in the response of a dog to its master, a child to his parents, an adult to his superior, or the wind and waves of Lake Galilee to Jesus, it evokes a positive response, because obedience brings with it serenity and harmony. Disobedience brings friction and robs us of our peace.

Obedience is powerful. It can revolutionise a person’s life and bring understanding, maturity and fulfilment. This is because obedience is undergirded by God and is what he requires of his children for their own well-being. It comes with great reward. Parents often reward obedient children and pet owners reward their pets, but it’s God’s rewards that hold great power. In Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God promises many rich blessings to those who obey him, including the promise to make them “the head, not the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:13). However, the greatest blessing is to know that God cares about us and wants to be in relationship with us.

Nevertheless, obedience is seldom a popular concept. It is often seen as a burden that will take away our rights and spoil our fun, but in reality, ignoring God’s commands actually brings us misery and strife, and robs us of our peace and self-esteem. Adam and Eve were deluded by the devil in the Garden of Eden; they hid from God and so do we. This hinders our growth in grace. Peter speaks to those chosen “for obedience to Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:2).

Jesus tells us quite clearly in John 14:15,21: “If you love me, you will obey what I command. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Obedience brings us closer to Jesus’ heart, but disobedience blocks the way and also hampers our praying. The psalmist says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened …” (Psalm 66:18)

What is your experience? Do you feel that God hears your prayers? Do you respond positively when you hear God’s “still, small voice” or sense him urging you to do something? Do you rush to obey or quickly busy your mind with something else, or roll over and go back to sleep? Do you try to put Scripture into action? Do you try to break with things you know are wrong? Obedience to God is beautiful, powerful and honours him.

The wind and the waves obeyed Jesus, shouldn’t we?

Bible Society of South Africav.4.27.6
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