TODAY’S VERSE:  

John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

We have just started a series on Jonah in prep school. As we begin reading the book of Jonah, one of the first things we are told is that God gave him a command to go somewhere and he disobeyed.

Where did God tell Jonah to go?
                                                                           
Jonah 1:1-2 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

Where did Jonah decide to go?

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

Both Joppa and Tarshish are in the complete opposite direction of Ninevah. Jonah willfully disobeyed God, doing the opposite of what he was commanded.

What does the Bible say about disobedience?

John 14:24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

If we disobey God we are not loving Him and will suffer the consequences. These consequences may not come immediately. God knows about all sin, though, and no one “gets away” with anything. When we disobey, we choose sin over righteousness, we choose our selfish desires over both the will of God and the welfare of others.

What does the Bible say about obedience?

Luke 11:28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

If we obey God we show love for Him, please Him, and are blessed. Seems like we would always obey, right? We want to show our love for God, please Him, and be blessed by Him. So, what’s the problem? Why do we disobey? Is it because we very often think that we know better and that we know what’s best for both ourselves and others? What does the Bible say about what we know?

1 Corinthians 8:2-4 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

What does the Bible say about what God knows?

Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.

There is no end to what God knows. He knows everything, we do not. He knows what is best for each and every one of us, we do not. Obey and be blessed or disobey and be disciplined… It’s that simple.