Obedience – How to Keep God's House Clean

Alright, let’s dive into something that might feel a little uncomfortable, but it’s super important—obedience. Now, before you start squirming in your seat, let’s break this down with an example. Imagine I come to your house. We’ve all been there. You know, you’re just minding your own business, maybe it’s a Sunday afternoon, and you hear the doorbell ring. You open the door, and there I am, standing with muddy shoes on, smiling like I’ve just won the lottery.

You look at me and say, “Hey, could you please take your shoes off before coming in? I just cleaned the carpets, and I don’t want all that mud in my house.”

But do I listen? No. Instead, I smile even more and walk right on in, tracking mud everywhere—across the carpet, onto the furniture, probably even on your walls for good measure. I’m just leaving a trail of destruction. You’re standing there, maybe shaking your head, maybe even praying under your breath, wondering if I’ve lost my mind.

Now, how would that make you feel? Pretty frustrated, right? Your house, your rules, but I chose to ignore them. That’s what happens when we disobey God—His house (the Earth, folks) gets a little messy, and it’s not just the carpets. It’s His creation, and He’s got specific instructions for how He wants things to be.

We’re His guests. We didn’t create this Earth. We didn’t set the rules for how it runs. But somehow, we think it’s okay to stomp around with muddy shoes, ignoring the fact that God gave us a set of rules to keep things clean.

God's House: The Earth

Let’s talk about this Earth for a second. This is God’s house. He created it. He owns it. But we often forget that. We treat it like a rental property we’re just passing through, thinking, “Hey, I can do whatever I want here.” But no. God is not the landlord who just collects rent and lets you trash the place. He’s the Creator, and He’s given us guidelines—rules, if you will—on how to treat His house.

The Bible makes it clear that obedience to God isn’t just a suggestion. It’s a command. He gives us rules for our good, not because He’s a cosmic buzzkill, but because He wants us to live in harmony, peace, and respect for one another—and for the Earth. If you ignore those rules, things get out of whack. Trust me, no one wants to see the world turn into a disaster zone.

Disobedience and Consequences

Now, let’s talk about people who decided not to listen to God and the messes they made when they ignored His instructions.

Adam and Eve – The original muddy-shoes incident. God told Adam and Eve, “Hey, you can enjoy everything in the garden, but there’s one tree you’re not allowed to eat from.” And what do they do? They go ahead and take a bite. Oops. That little act of disobedience didn’t just affect them—it affected all of humanity. Talk about tracking mud everywhere. The consequences of their actions were felt for generations. They brought sin and brokenness into the world, and it hasn’t been the same ever since.

King Saul – Now, here’s another example. Saul was the king of Israel, and God gave him clear instructions: go and destroy the Amalekites. But Saul thought, “Eh, I’ll do some of that, but I’ll keep the best sheep and cattle for myself.” Guess what? That didn’t work out too well for Saul. God wasn’t impressed with his disobedience, and as a result, Saul lost his kingship. He thought he knew better, but when it comes to God’s rules, trust me—He always knows better.

Jonah – Remember Jonah? God told him to go to Nineveh and preach repentance, but Jonah wasn’t having it. He didn’t like the people of Nineveh, so instead of obeying, he hopped on a boat heading in the opposite direction. Guess what happened? A big storm, a whale (or giant fish), and three days in its belly later, Jonah realized, “Maybe I should have listened to God.” Funny how that works.

Why Obedience Matters

Now, I know what you might be thinking: "But why do we have to obey all these rules?" Well, first off, obedience is about trust. It’s about trusting that God knows what He’s doing and that His instructions aren’t there to cramp your style. They’re there to make life better, not worse. Just like you trust a traffic light to keep you from getting into a car accident, you can trust God’s rules to keep you from disaster.

Secondly, obedience builds our relationship with God. It’s not about following a checklist of “do’s” and “don’ts.” It’s about saying, “God, I trust You, and I love You, so I’m going to listen to what You have to say because I know it’s for my good.” It’s like when a child listens to their parents because they know the parents are looking out for them. We obey God because He is the Father who loves us and knows what’s best.

The Power of Obedience

Here’s the thing: when we obey, it opens the door for blessings. It’s like this: you know how when you clean up the house, it’s so much nicer to hang out in? You’re not tripping over toys or stepping on Legos (we’ve all been there). You can relax and enjoy your space. That’s how obedience works. When we follow God’s rules, He’s able to bless us and make our lives better. But when we ignore Him and track mud all over His house, it can cause a mess that’s hard to clean up.

Conclusion: Clean Up Your Shoes

So, let’s remember: we are guests in God’s house. The Earth belongs to Him, and He has given us some basic instructions to follow. And if we don’t? Well, it’s kind of like wearing muddy shoes all over His brand-new carpet. It’s disrespectful, it’s messy, and it makes things harder for everyone.

God isn’t asking for perfection, but He does want us to honor His house—and our obedience is part of that. It’s time to take off the muddy shoes, clean up, and start walking the way God intended. Let’s show God we’re listening, we’re trusting Him, and we’re ready to live according to His plan for our lives.

Let’s pray,

“God, thank You for being patient with us, even when we’re walking through life with muddy shoes. Help us to obey Your commands, not out of obligation, but out of love for You and trust in Your wisdom. Clean us up, Lord, and help us to honor Your house with the way we live. In Jesus' name, amen!”