Always do what pleases Him
And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:29
Have you ever wondered why God requires obedience? Why does God want people to obey His commands and directions? Is it because He is controlling and wants to keep you in line? After all, most Christians would tell you “God is in control.” Maybe it is because He wants you to do things His way because He likes to have His own way? If that were the case, wouldn’t that be selfish and against all the character of a loving Father?
The fact is, God is in control of His plan and have no doubt, His plan has and will come to pass. However, He is not controlling people. If He were, that would go against the fact that He created people with a free will to choose their actions. If He were in control of people, wouldn’t it make sense that the first thing He would do would be to make all people get saved and to honor and worship Him. If He were in control of all people, wouldn’t the world look a lot different than it does today? In fact, there wouldn’t even be a need to give commandments if He were controlling everyone. We would all just do things the way He made us do them.
We have such a loving God and He wants for people to choose to love and follow Him. The reason He wants us to obey and follow His leading and direction is because He wants to lead us into the best life we can possibly live in this world. He knows how things were created to be successful in this world because He set it up. He is not trying to control people or manipulate them into doing what He wants, He has planned out the greatest possible existence for each person and His desire is that we would be lavished in His love in this world and the next. By following Him day by day, we can live the life of greatest success because we are following the one who designed it.
In today’s reading, Jesus talks to the leaders that are wanting to keep Him quiet about doing the things that please His Father. Even though Jesus knew the plan was for Him to come into the world and pay the price for all the sin in the world, He also knew that it was the greatest plan that God had designed for His life. He told the leaders that He always does the things that please the Father, because He knew that even though it would look like it was a bad thing to die on a cross, He would be following the plan and receive the highest honor ever.
Today I want to encourage you to seek out the plan God has designed for your life. Start be following the steps He has laid out in scripture for you. Things like loving God and your neighbors. Coming together with other believers on a regular basis. Submitting to your spouse and bringing your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Then seek Him daily and press in close in your relationship with Him. Walk out your life in step with all that He wants to do with you. He wants to lead you step by step because then He gets to be with you step by step. That’s how much He loves you.
Today’s scripture reading: John 8:21-30
21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
30As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.
The Daily Dose 