The Joy of Obedience

Chapter 17  

Today's post by Karen Spurling.

As I read this chapter I was reminded of one of my favorite verses, Psalms 16:11, “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” This verse communicates a truth that I have held to over many years and that is true joy cannot be experienced apart from the Father. Hannah Whitall Smith echoes this sentiment and goes even further as she describes the joy found in our obedience to Christ. 

In the chapter, Whitall Smith’s main point is we can experience immeasurable joy if we surrender ourselves completely in obedience to God. However, she noted that many of us shrink from going all in with God. She stated, 

“To be measurably obedient you desire, to be perfectly obedient appalls you.” 

In her opinion, many believers are afraid of completely yielding themselves to God and instead treat the relationship like a casual friendship. Instead of abandoning ourselves to God, we look at those who take a more casual approach to their relationship with Christ and wonder why is it necessary for us to be zealous when they are not? But I love the question she asked, 

“Is it a cause for regret that your soul is brought into such near and intimate relations with your Master that He is able to tell you things which those who are farther of may not know? 

So I suppose the question is, are we satisfied with a casual relationship with the Lord where the relationship is pleasant enough and we aren’t really bothered by the emotional distance or lack of involvement in each other’s lives? Or do we want the kind of relationship where we meet “His measureless devotion for you with a measureless devotion to Him.” This kind of mutual devotion leads to us a place of enthusiastic joy as we delight in Him and “spring out to meet His lovely will with an eager joy.” His commands are not a burden and instead we consider them a privilege because they are an opportunity to showcase our love for and devotion to our Father. 

This “spiritual romance” with the Father is ongoing and it should motivate us to fearlessly and whole heartedly commit ourselves to Him and His will. In so doing, we will experience a precious joy that those who take a more casual approach to their relationship with Christ will sadly never experience…the joy of obedience. 

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction

• Whitall Smith opened the chapter with this saying, “Perfect obedience should be perfect happiness if only we had perfect confidence in the power we were obeying.” According to this saying, why is there often times a disconnect between obedience and happiness in our relationship with Christ? 

• Whitall Smith uses the analogies of a casual friendship and a passionate romance to describe our relationship with the Father. Which relationship better decribes your relationship with the Father? 

• How can our obedience be a joy and not a drudgery?