Secret of Our Obedience

Ken

The Spirit of God is the secret of our obedience. “And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27 KJV). In the action movie, “Shoot to Kill” (1988), Sidney Poitier portrays an FBI agent aided by an outdoorsman, Tom Berenger, who both pursue a murderous, diamond thief in the Pacific Northwest. At one point, Berenger (up above) has instructed Poitier stuck (down below) to fasten himself to a rope to assist him climbing up a crevice. Poitier fastens the rope around his waist and holds open his hands, informing Berenger, “Ready!” Berenger, in anger and frustration shouts, “You’ve got to climb, too! I’m not going to do all the work!” Crudely, this illustrates the importance of the Holy Spirit’s assistance and empowerment, while emphasizing our need of cooperation. He is working obedience in us. We understand our necessity to obey, but concede our pathetic tendency not to conform. To be sure, God has given us the capacity for obedience, but we are prone not to comply. The reception of God’s Spirit (Acts 2:38) causes us to keep His commandments, while not forcing us. God remains sovereign, yet we still possess free will. Priceless! Or, as Jesus put it, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17).