A REMINDER: Count The Cost
- Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
- Jul 10, 2019
- 3 min read
Obedience is one of my ten top favorite words in the entire dictionary.
Sadly, there is a cost to pay when you obey. The question you must ask yourself is, “Are you willing to surrender it all for a life lived in obedience?”
You see, at the end of the day, your living your life before the audience of one: God Himself! Obeying God will always get you laughed at, talked about, disliked, and sometimes even hated. Again, I ask you, “Are you willing to surrender it all to follow everything God tells you to do?”
Abraham left everything he knew to go into an unknown land God was going to give him. Noah was asked to build an Ark when rain never was experienced on earth. Moses left the palace for the desert. Hosea married Gomer the prostitute. Joseph was left to die in a pit, sold as a slave, then sent to prison. Ruth left her country, family, culture, and traditions to go with Naomi her mother-in-law. Mary Magdalene followed JESUS everywhere HE went. Imagine that rumor! The ultimate life of obedience was exhibited by Jesus Himself. Jesus obeyed by going and hanging on a cross!
I ask you, "Are not all these names engraved by God himself on the Great Hall of Fame, for lives well lived in accordance to obedience?” if Jesus endured the cross, we can endure being laughed at, talked about, ridiculed, unfriended and whatever else. Ask yourself again, “Do I care?" We should never ever disobey what God tells us.
REFLECTION: "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ," (Galatians 1:10 ESV). Be only interested in what God says and thinks of you. Our entire performance is lived before an audience of one, God Himself! This why we don’t defend ourselves before men. We obey, and let God defend us. If you try you will loose all the time, but God wins all the time. We should never care about the opinions of those who choose to dishonor GOD or HIS Word. Who cares what mere humans have to say? Those people mentioned above were hated, gossiped about, judged, ignored, and made fun off. Guess what? The greater your calling the greater the hate. Keep your eyes on GOD and HIS leading, and great shall be your testimony. This is the kind of a life well lived. Are you looking for this kind of life? If not, you should. It’s an amazing life, leaving you breathless and spurring you on for more, even in the darkest hour, there’s a hope deep, way deep inside of you that is jumping for joy. Go after this life my friends.
Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You are the One I love, and my desire is to obey and follow You with all my heart because You are my Lord and my God. You are my Only Hope and my Sure Foundation. Help me to always remember You are my Protector and my Defense. You have said, "Vengeance is mine," and I know You will be my Defense. It is under Your wings I seek refuge. Father, let me always be a living sacrifice set apart and made holy for Your service, seeking only Your approval. Before You alone, I will be held accountable for how I lived my life for You. May my life be pleasing unto You. Teach me Your ways. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Linda A. Knowles
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