To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice

I asked GraceAnna to take a shower this morning.  She ran off to play with her brother.  Twenty minutes later, I asked her again to get in the shower.  She got distracted again and went to play with Malachi.  I got distracted too and went about doing things in the house.  About an hour later, I realized Grace still had not obeyed.  I called her in where I was sitting and asked her again to please go take a shower.  She laid in my lap and began telling me how much she loved me.  She played with my hair, she kissed me, she hugged me..... she didn't obey me.  Now, I really don't think she was being manipulative - I think she was sincere.  However, in the face of her disobedience, I didn't care much about her adoration or praise of me.  I wanted her obedience!

I have been disturbed recently by the out-of-balance-ness of people who just want to "worship" Jesus all day.  It's all they talk about, it's all they want to do.... "I just want to LOVE Jesus and worship Him", they say.  And they are very sincere.  They watch youtube videos of praise and worship in all of their spare time.... even to the point that they are not getting their chores or homework or other day-to-day responsibilities done.  Is this pleasing to the Lord?  Does Jesus desire our worship to the exclusion of our obedience?  No, He does not.  

In the last conversation Jesus has with his disciples before His death and resurrection, he mentions obedience to His commands 9 times.  (John 13-17) Many times, phrased like this, "IF you love me, THEN obey my commands."  I would dare to say that all that time spent worshiping Jesus in your bedroom, or watching or listening to praise music, would be better spent in His Word, learning WHAT His commands are, and in prayer, asking Jesus to help you obey Him.  And then DOING it.  Stop talking, start doing.  

Just like with my daughter.... I would much rather have had her obey my request immediately, than have her sit there with me and "adore" me.  The PROOF of our love for Jesus is not in HOW well we worship/sing to Him, but in how well we OBEY Him.  Get in His Word!  No praise song can be an adequate substitute to Scripture.