Our LORD is a Great God!

Ever struggle with a lack of zeal or passion for obeying God? Did you know there is a link between our concept of God and our level of commitment to Him? Moses, recognizing this vital connection, challenged Israel to obey the Lord's directives on the basis of the glorious character and nature of God. Note his specific words, 

For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. (Deut. 10:17, 18)

 He enjoins committed adherence based on the splendid character of Jehovah! If we are filled with the truths of God's greatness and grandeur, it should have a motivating impact in our souls. A child of God who honestly believes what she or he knows about our glorious Lord, will be stirred and stimulated to a lifestyle characterized by obedience. Essentially this is a form of respect for who God is! It is much like happening upon a rattlesnake in the forest and this discovery is the very thing that inspires cautious and evasive behaviors. The presence of the snake provokes thoughts about the dangerous creature, and this knowledge motivates behavior alterations conducive to surviving the encounter. Likewise biblical 'knowledge' encounters with an awesome Almighty God should stimulate conduct that is commensurate with pleasing Him. The more often our minds and hearts are impressed with the grand truths of Jehovah God, the more our course of actions should conform to His will. Holy and authentic encounters with Almighty God is the key. We must see His true greatness!
So what compels you to obey the Lord? How do you overcome our natural stubbornness and reluctance to spiritual obedience? First, the hardened stiff neck heart must be ‘circumcised.’ That is, our minds and hearts must be supernaturally transformed by the grace of God rendering them sensitive and responsive to His Voice. This largely transpires during the new birth and with progress in spiritual formation. The circumcised heart delights in God's authority over one's life. As a result, we regard the loving commands of God as specifically designed for our spiritual welfare. His commands guide, lead, protect, and guard our welfare and well being. Therefore, we obey Him because we fully realize and believe His commands are wise and beneficial to us. There is nothing to fear!
Again such a course of action is deeply rooted in a respect and acknowledgement of who God actually is. Having learned of Him through encounters with Him in the Word, we respond with compliance, obedience, and adherence to His will. Deeply impressed with the awesomeness of His Person and glorious character, we live in respect of Him. Deep inward impressions are made in the soul through frequent encounters with Holy God!
We are also moved to obedience by the greatness, sovereignty, righteousness, majesty, and justice of His character. We obey Him because He is supremely awesome in all His ways! A “great,” “mighty,” and “terrible” God must be obeyed, but a tender, merciful, and impartial God who can resist?! In addition, we are motivated to diligently adhere to His Will because of His gracious dealings with us throughout our personal history. We can testify that God has been extremely good to us; how then can we be careless with His expectations? With what do we justify disloyalty to Him? Like Moses charged Israel of old, let each day be a passionate expression…a joyful execution of the will of our Great Lord.

Dear Father, please give me a heart for You. Clearly, You truly are a Great LORD and God. May I always (full of reverential fear and holy adoration) be completely enthralled with You. May my moment by moment walk with you be an explicit and implicit expression of profound respect for who you actually are. Grip my very soul with the Reality You are. My Father, allow my confidence in Your Word to result in obedience to You. May I continually affirm my love for You daily and always through my complete obedience. Gladly, I pray for Your will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Not my will Lord, but Thine is to be done today. I ask these things in faith believing…in the Name of my Lord Jesus, Amen.