Obedience to Christ brings upon us opposition from Satan, the world, the flesh in ourselves, and the unbelief, ignorance, and lack of mind of Christ in our brethren. To meet all these aright, let it be our business, even in the smallest matters, to please Christ, that we may have His power and His truth for our strength and guidance. He trod this path before us, and has also given His Holy Spirit to lead us and to comfort us through the journey.
The highest attainment in the spiritual life is to be able always and in all things to say, “Thy will be done!” Gen. 22 gives us a perfect sample of the obedience of faith.
There is no prevailing against our enemies without full obedience to God. When Israel must fight, Joshua must take heed that they are keeping God’s commandments. (See Joshua 7)
He that allows himself in small sins will at length break out in great ones: be it our business, then, to watch against the beginnings of departure from God, or these will surely lead to bitter endings.
The Word of the Lord, and the attentive ear of the faithful servant, are all we need to carry us safely and happily onward.
Whatever imperfections were in Abraham, whatever his haltings and stumblings, he never settled down, as to purpose, into half-hearted obedience; so if any child of God, howsoever he may fail, have a steady, fixed purpose to please God, he will surely become strong in faith at the last.
All the children of God receive Christ as Redeemer from curse and wrath; but they do not all take Him for their portion and inheritance: if we do this, we cannot fail to be witnesses for Him, and lights in this dark world.
Cares
Have you one anxious thought you do not bring to Jesus? Have you one care you deem too light, too small, to lay before Him? It is then too small to give you one moment’s concern. Either cast your care (great or small) upon Him that careth for you, or cast it away from you altogether: if it be unfit for His sympathy, it is unworthy of you. (1 Peter 5:7.)
If we examine the troubles of God’s children, we shall find that too many of them arise from unbelieving fears concerning the future; let me but remember that Christ, at the right hand of God, counts all my troubles His own; and then away with all my fears concerning the morrow! It is only at the Mercy-seat we may lawfully think of the morrow.