In tune with His word

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25 NLT

James challenged the believers to accept and live by the word of God implanted in their hearts for this is beneficial to the soul (James 1:21). In essence, he is saying that we need to be obedient to God’s word. As parents, we know that when our children are watching the television, playing in their tablet or computer and you asked them to do something, they will say “yes” so you will stop bothering them. But you know that “yes” is passive for later on when you remind them of their response, they already forgot what you told them for they were not really listening to what you said. Our ears are magnificent instruments provided for us so that we can use them to listen. We are capable of listening to two on-going things at once but that does not mean that we will be committed to what we are being told to do. Unless we learn how to focus on one principal sound, we will lose the opportunity to be effective in doing what we are asked to do. In spiritual matters, this is what we are asked to do by God. God wants us to be in tune to what He says to us in His word and allow His word to govern the way we live. Our obedience to God’s word should be observed in our actions. If our lives are not affected by what we hear from God’s word and we overrule it, we demonstrate our spiritual immaturity or at worst, we are “only fooling” ourselves claiming having a relationship with God. We should know better for it is us who can determine the salvation we claim we have. We are commanded: “You must do what it says.” This is the distinctive mark of a follower of God, doers of His word. Jesus told His disciples, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15). God’s word planted in our hearts will help us live lives pleasing before God. We experience the freedom He promised for we are becoming the person He wants us to be as we continue to live in accordance with His word. “If you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it” (James 1:25).

Blessings,