Songs of Obedience?

Our memory verse for March is Ephesians 6:1.  My challenge to myself this year has been to write a song that goes with the memory verse each month if a more suitable song hasn't already been written.

But when I read "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for that is right."  ...I ...um...wasn't inspired lyrically.

at all.

I read around the passage, and all I could envision was a cheesy song without any depth.   Possibly because I'm struggling with obedience right now, myself.

Discipline isn't something I easily come by - follow through either.  I lack motivation for tasks my heart isn't into.

After spending 12 to 14 hours doing stuff for school, I'd MUCH rather spend my only free hour in the evening playing guitar than load the dishwasher, or redeem my floors with my broken vacuum cleaner - which is broken because I haven't taken some of my nightly "free time" to go to the hardware store to pick up a new belt thingy so the rotating brush will work again.

This avoidance of Ephesians 6:1 has gone on for a few weeks now.  Sad, but true.  Last week, I noticed that a chorus I previously written started morphing into a song about obedience.

...and I quickly stopped working on it! LOL

But then this was read in church today.

1 John 5 (just one chapter away from last month's memory verse for the kiddos)

"In fact, this is love for God;  to keep his commands.  And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."

...yeah.   That.

The double edged sword, that faithful, tender, uncompromising, living Word spoke both to my avoidance of discipline and to my fear of being overwhelmed by it.  Abba adores me enough to send his Holy Spirit to instruct me - and comfort me in the process.

He delights in me enough to discipline me by speaking to me in truth and in love; and He cherishes me enough to send a brother to admonish.  This morning in church I took down these notes during Pastor Paul's sermon:

"Make war with the part of you that is not doing anything about a known sin.  Make war against apathy.  Make war against avoidance of conviction; and hold Jesus' hand...Mark 8 vs 23  

I was a bit distracted by the spit in this miracle and it tickles me that I actually wrote down:  "I don't think a song has ever been written asking Jesus to "spit on me"  ...burn my lips with hot coal?  yes.  ...but spit??"   Ha!  Can you imagine?  Though distracted, the seeds of conviction entered my heart.

Tonight I found these scriptures on the topic:

1 Samuel 15:22

And Samuel said,

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

    as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

    and to listen than the fat of rams.

Hebrews 12

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,

    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

(sigh)....so, it's just possible there will be a song in there somewhere, now.

I'm so #grateful He is making me into a new creation - even if it hurts a little in the process.

At least we aren't alone.