“Only be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7
I read this as God saying the biggest challenge wouldn’t be the physical battles, but the inner battles to do as He said.
Oh Lord, we desire the strength and courage today to walk wherever total obedience to You takes us. And here’s a simple poem . . .
We Want To
Our obedience is born
out of love for You
and we have confidence in
Whom we trust too
Who gives us strength
to do what we should do
as we freely follow
simply because we want to.
Deb's Blog 
Our walk with God is a Sacred Journey of learning. How do we learn? By our mistakes and what we do about them! The personal experiences of life… the highs and lows. The further we go… if we hold to our Faith… the more Awsome He becomes… the Wise way He orders our steps and weaves things together for our good.”God is Good!”
Even the way He doesn’t always answer our prayers is amazing for He sees from “above”… the whole picture… the beginning from the end… and it’s the end result that matters. Let us take care not to grizzle and grumble like the children of Israel in the wilderness… it’s FAITH not doubt the LORD is waiting for.
( Debbie… Some one gave me a fridge magnet once with Jer 29:11 )
Amein…Susan.
Another resonating closing line. Well done, Deb. Isn’t it a relief to increasingly reach the want-to places well beyond the have-to phases — on our journey of faith, hope, and love?
Thank you, Deb
“Oh Lord, we desire the strength and courage today to walk wherever total obedience to You takes us”
Praying alongside you!
This post is very deep. Thanks for another beautiful prayer and poem.
He says if we will walk with Him we must deny ourselves. My self wants to do the things that make me happy and comfortable … My self wants to be secure. My self wants to take the easy road…
I want to “want to”. I want to follow because of love for Him. I want to follow “simply because we want to” For many years I followed because of an unhealthy fear and misdirection. I’m glad He has taught me otherwise. Loving obedience … it gets no better than this. 🙂
Blessings, Deb. I really like this one a lot.
ann
Jesus said, “If you love me, obey My commandments.”
Love and obedience are intertwined in our relationship with the Lord. There can not be one without the other.
Deb, I love this post. I am chuckling a bit because it dovetails nicely with my own post today about how the Love of Christ changes us and makes us want to love as He commanded us to do. I love how the Holy Spirit works in various Christian bloggers to post related things.
This line in your poem is awesome:
Our obedience is born
out of love for You
It is not that we are obedient and then He loves us. Quite the opposite. He loves us and so we are obedient. What a great start to the book of Joshua! Peace, Linda
From Theresa’s place then here — God is talking to me. You know how afraid I was to share my simple thoughts and writings in the poetry rally with all the remarkable poets in there and of different belief/religion. Sometimes there is a battle within if I really have to share my thoughts on God which isn’t the normal take on the prompt but as I have said I can’t help it — my thoughts always go back to Him — expressed or implied. All because He gives me the courage to forget about myself and what others might be thinking — and just think of Him.
Thank God for you Deb! 🙂
As I read this these word came to my mind:
“But Samuel replied:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22
There is much to obey. We have many things we are told to do in the Word, and then there are those prompting that comes from the Spirit that move the hidden man of the heart who delights to obey the Lords. My soul longs to follow the Spirit more and looks forward to that day in heaven when the flesh will no longer be sinful…that day when I will totally obey. 🙂
Thank you for this post.
Love,
Theresa
I love this Susan . . .”it’s FAITH not doubt the LORD is waiting for.” 🙂 And faith in Him helps us to obey, because He is so faithful to love us, even when we don’t.
God bless you on your Sacred Journey with Him!
love and amen!
Oh yes it is a relief and a joy to “want to”. 🙂 God bless you, Sir Geoff, as you want to be with Him today!
Oh Ann full of grace, I love that “want to want to” prayer and have used it before! It works so well in this place too. 🙂
God bless you and your loving obedience to Him!
Thank you so much for that insight, Larry! 🙂 If we love Him, then we trust Him too, that what He asks us to do is truly good for us and everyone around us.
God bless you and your love and obedience to your Jesus!
I love that Linda . ..He loves us and so we are obedient! It all starts and stems from Him. 🙂 Can’t wait to see what you have been led to post today!
God bless you and your love of Him!
I think of you each time you keep entering in those rallies and writing those poems! God is so smiling at you . . .and you know what? They love and receive you and so in a way, Him! Did you ever imagine that this is what you would get into when you started blogging?
God bless you and your courageous witness and obedience for Him!
love you!
I love what He brought to your mind, wonderful woman of the Word! 🙂 I can think of things we can do in sacrifice, good things, but still not be obedient to Him in our hearts. I long for that total obedience too and am thankful for His grace and mercy now!
God bless you and love on you today!
p.s. you didn’t end up in the spam! yaay!!!
“simply because we want to”
I heart that! Joshua wanted to, Moses wanted to, the people have short memories – sometimes so do I. But we choose to follow don’t we? This is simple – simply brilliant – like always. God bless and keep you and all of yours this day Debbie. I heart your words 🙂
Thank you so much for coming here and hearting things. (hey . . .it says hearting isn’t a word!) God bless you and your heart for Jesus! 🙂
The answer isn’t always what we hope for… in particular, healing, which sometimes means The FInal Healing when we are not ready to let go. Yet the more I place my life in God’s hands, the freer I am to do the best I can with that pesky “free will”! Thanks so much, Debbie. Great prayer food. Amy
I love the depth you add, dear amazing Amy . . .and how you see things. It reminds me of how His body is meant to be . . .different , but functioning together. 🙂 Smiling about that pesky free will! teehee! But, He trusts us too, doesn’t He . . .to do the best we can with it. Part of that great love of His. Thank you so much for getting me to think more about Him. That is always a good thing! love you!
Deb I never imagined that I will be thrown amongst those who have profound thoughts and craft their words beautifully that sometimes the simple minded me have a hard time understanding them all. That’s also one of the reasons why I want to faint whenever I post because it’s so simple that I myself is asking — “What the heaven am I posting that for?!” Then I remember why I am blogging — to help lighten the day, if not the burden, of others. I have been through pain, I suffered, and I wanted someone to be there beside me. If I could be that person even for a small amount of time, why not? God is afterall present the whole time 🙂
I guess for me the answer is in how if we look at Christ in a child like manner and just accept what he has for us, it will all come. It took such a life altering thing like Anelisa for me to see this. There is no need to doubt, let fear go. I have mixed feelings about some of this, but he has been with me through it all, even when I walked away for a short period, and anytime is short, for his existence is bigger than we can ever imagine, so he knows we will return to him.
One problem I have is the word ‘Obey’, like he is our slave master (old testament vs new verbage) I won’t go there, but our hearts are filled with love or we wouldn’t have seen Him to begin with. I guess it would depend on whether you believe in once saved always saved, or predestination, and all that. Oh, life is mush more simpler than we could ever have imagined. I am sure He sighs and shakes his head at all his children 🙂 Faith is a childlike element that should just come naturally.
I love you Debbie, you make me laugh and smile…
Love right back at you, dear Elizabeth. I love the simple childlike faith . . .can’t always find my way through the deeper more complex thoughts, so am thankful with you that He asks for childlike faith!
So glad that I can make you smile and laugh! 🙂 That blesses me!
God bless you and your sister time!
My Dear Deb,
I love this post! Whenever I think of obedience, I go straight to the Book of Proverbs, where we are taught the importance of obeying God’s Word, which in turn leads to obtaining wisdom. And wisdom encompasses the pathway to God–turning from sin and obeying our Lord.
I love this verse: Proverbs 2:9-10 “Then you will understand what is right and just and fair–every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to you soul.”
I thank the Lord for you, each and every day…you have a wonderful gift, my deb.
Love,
Bee
You encourage me and make me smile! I am loving how when you think of obedience you go straight to Proverbs. Is that just great or what?! 🙂 Most might think of obedience as such a downer, but it’s not and you show us why! “For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.”
I’m thinking my wonderful gift is YOU and all those that read and comment for me, to help me learn and grow!
God bless you and bring you smiles and love today as you lovingly obey!
love you!