As a parent, I can testify that the purest form of human love is what a parent feels for their offspring. A real parent will think nothing of physically laying down their lives to protect their children. It is not uncommon for parents to deny themselves and make untold sacrifices so that their children could have a better quality of life than they ever had.
Of parental love, I think the love of the mother is probably more intense than that of a father. Of course, a real father would lay down his life in defence of his family and would do whatever is in his power to give them the best life possible. There is, however, a certain tenderness and sense of nurture than comes from a mother’s love that is not possible for a father’s love. I have heard and read more than one story of mothers who were about to freeze to death with their infant babies wrapping their babies with all of their own clothing and then using their bodies as an extra layer of covering. Even God acknowledges the place and the power of a mother’s love:
Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I would never forget you—never. Look, I have written your names on the backs of my hands… – Isaiah 49:15 MSG.
As great as a mother’s love may be, it is still tainted with a little bit of self-interest. It may be the purest of all of human ‘loves’ but it is not 100% selfless. There is one love though that exceeds and excels all human love: it is the selfless, boundless, almost reckless (due to the weakness of our language), unconditional, undeserving love (agape) of Father God.
All the Father’s commandments are designed not to bless Him or profit Him, but they are all designed to help, bless, and profit us. Our obedience does not increase God, it does not make Him bigger than He already is; neither does our obedience increase His power. Conversely, our disobedience to God’s laws cost Him nothing. Our rebellion against Him and His ways do nothing to inhibit His plans and reduce His power. If you doubt the veracity of this statement, you take another look at the devil’s crucifying the Lord of Glory.
God is too powerful and too wise to be caught flatfooted. He knows our thoughts long before they ever cross our minds; He knows the end from the beginning and everything in between. He is at least a trillion steps ahead of the wisest of us. Remember, the foolishness of God (if there is any such thing) is wiser than men and the weakness of God (which is nonexistent) is stronger than men.
Not only is God wiser than men, but God is also infinitely wiser than the devil and all his kingdom. Satan is a created being and is not omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent. It is evident to me as I write these words, that the cruelty of God is kinder than the kindness of man or satan.
God has given a plethora of instructions and commandments to mankind. None of it was ever designed for His good. They were all designed for our own good. God also disciplines us when we stray away from His instructions. He does not do this because he wants to feel important; He is totally committed to our good – He genuinely delights in our blessing and prosperity.
So, who does our obedience help? Who does our disobedience hurt? Let us look to the book named after the Patriarch, Job:
…Take a long hard look. See those clouds towering above you? If you sin, what difference could that make to God? No matter how much you sin, will it matter to him? Even if you are good, what would God get out of that? Do you think He is dependent on your accomplishments? The only ones who care whether you are good or bad are your family and friends and neighbors. God’s not dependent on your behavior – Job 35:4–8 MSG.
I have not spoken in secret, in a corner of the land of darkness; I did not call the descendants of Jacob [to a fruitless service], saying, Seek Me for nothing [but I promised them a just reward] … – Isaiah 45:19 AMPC.
So, my obedience blesses another person and/or myself. My disobedience hurts another person as well as myself. Our God is a rewarder and a selfless one at that. A prompt, unqualified obedience to all of God’s instructions is in some way a self-preserving act; it is a smart action as well.
Once you have experienced the overwhelming, overpowering, and tangible love of God, disobedience is no longer an option and obedience is no longer a chore. Even the greatest sacrifice becomes an expression of love for the one who loved you first. You would have learned the truth of Jesus’ claim when he said: “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
