Blessings Follow Obedience

by Tracy Gordon

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” –Deuteronomy 28:1-2

I recently read an article about obedience to God being the highest form of worship. More than any song, any piece of music, dance, or devotion, the Lord is the most exalted and glorified when we obey Him and follow the direction He’s given us.

Why is it so hard for us to obey? Because our flesh, at its core, is rebellious. Whether it’s parents, an employer, or the Lord Himself, don’t we feel dread when we learn that there is something difficult, uncomfortable, or confusing that we’ve been asked to do? Don’t we get defensive at times, making excuses as to why that direction isn’t convenient? We struggle to obey and listen because we are sinners who are full of pride, scared of rejection, and don’t completely trust God. However, when we are obedient to God, He can use it for His great purpose.

About a year ago, I woke up one morning with an overwhelming feeling about a friend of mine. It was a feeling that was hard to explain but I knew God was calling me to action; I just didn’t know how. Why had He put her on my heart in such a profound way and what did He want me to do? I prayed about it and began to feel I was supposed to bring her some encouragement in some way, but I didn’t know why. After much thought, I decided to go get some sunflowers, arrange them in a pretty vase, and write a card just letting her know that God had put her on my heart, tell her how much I cherished her friendship, and no matter what she was going through that day, God loved her very much. I left the flowers and card on her doorstep, got back in my car, and texted her that I had dropped something off. About 10 minutes later, she called me in tears. She said, “You have no idea what your card and flowers meant to me! My dad is in the hospital, and it has been an extremely challenging week. Your thoughtful gesture touched my soul.” Wow! I didn’t know what to say other than, “It was all God!”

There was another time that I wasn’t so quick with my obedience. We had some new neighbors move in a couple doors down and they had a daughter with special needs. My background is working with children with special needs and one of the programs I have run in the past is an adaptive aquatics swim program. I had an overwhelming feeling that God wanted me to offer some voluntary swim therapy for her in my home swimming pool. However, I delayed in offering my services, then Covid happened, then my brother passed away and I was deep in grief, and time just marched on.

About a year and a half later, God put it on my heart again. On that day, I saw the mom walking down the street, so I approached her and made the offer. She looked at me with an expression of disbelief and said, “Are you kidding me? My daughter’s physical therapist just told us that the best thing for her would be some swim therapy and we haven’t been able to find the right program.” I was stunned and looked up and winked at God. Needless to say, we started swim therapy and our families have become good friends. God didn’t give up on His plan and continued to push me to obedience, making me feel blessed to be a blessing.

In Deuteronomy 28:1-2, Moses tells the Israelites, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” Moses knew this was easier said than done, but He also knew the rewards would be great. This obedience led to deliverance.

As children of God, we need to obey God. Just as a child is expected to obey his or her parents, our obedience to God through His Word is what determines how far we can go in our relationship with Him. Sometimes it will take bravery to obey Him and sometimes it will take moving out of our comfort zone. If you want to honor God in worship, if you want to show Him that your love for Him runs deep, then obedience to Him and His mysterious plan is the best you can hope to do.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to hear from You and for encouraging us toward the beautiful life You have for us. Please give us boldness to pursue the things You’ve placed on our hearts so that we can bless others and bring You glory. We know that with You, anything is possible. Help us to be doers of Your Word, not just hearers. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.