Topic: Obedience...

During my current trek through the Bible, I find myself in the Old Testament again...each time I read through the Bible - I have done it several times now - something new shows up...or maybe I should say that something appears new to me...the latest thing that I have discovered revolves around obedience...to be more specific, it revolves around the phrase, "...just as the Lord commanded," or something similar...Noah did everything just as God had commanded him regarding the building of the ark...Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded regarding speaking to Pharaoh...at the first Passover, the Israelites did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron...David did as the Lord commanded him and he beat down the Philistines...you get the picture...

As I read through these passages, I have to ask myself, "At the end of my life, when they write my biography (because they will, you know :-) ), will they write, 'Mike did everything just as God commanded him'?"...I don't see it happening...I try to live my life by God's guidelines, but at the end of each day, I know how unsuccessful I have been...add all those days up, and you have a whole lot of falling short...thank God that my relationship wih Him is not dependent upon my doing everything just as He commands me...is that my goal, what I strive for, what should be my aim?...certainly...but fortunately, God recognizes that I am human and that I will fall short...however, I will keep trying...man, it sure would be cool though to hear those words at my funeral...if I weren't dead and all...