"I cannot claim to be living by faith unless I'm living in obedience." (Love has a price tag, pg 55). This word obedience makes some people turn their heads because for some being obedient is not something they like to do. Some people say, "I just want live my life" or "I live by faith knowing that everything will work itself out".
Well, sorry to burst your bubble but not everything is going to work itself out. Your bills won't some day come alive and pay themselves. Your kids won't some day wake up and say, "I am going to listen to everything my parents say". Sorry that dream won't come true by itself.
If we claim to live by faith then we need to be living in obedience. This means you are going to have to make an effort. "Even the miracles Jesus performed were contingent on somebody's obedience, on somebody's doing some little thing such as filling up a water pots, stretching out a hand, giving up a lunch" (pg 55). You see we do need to make an effort and work, but the work we do needs to be transformed. We need to be obedient to God by putting our worldly desires behind us. We can't expect God to do everything for us.
The truth is He doesn't even need us, but He wants us because He loves us. Wasn't dying on the cross enough for us? God's grace is enough so lets live out our faith by being obedient.
I firmly believe that people turn away from God and the church, not only because of their sin, but because of our sin. Because many of us are still living in disobedience. We can't claim to be living by faith unless we are living in obedience to God.
