To obey is better than sacrifice,
But to obey with devotion is better still.
For without devotion,
Obedience becomes mere compliance,
As though the will of God
Were the will of human authority.
But He is not human authority.
He is our loving Father,
The Creator of Heaven and earth.
Whoever truly obeys
Must obey with devotion,
For without devotion
There can be no obedience.
Obedience begins in the heart,
Not in the head.
Remember Noah,
Who obeyed with a heart made pure
By the future sacrifice of Christ on the cross,
Though he was not perfect.
He listened,
And followed through with his whole heart
To build the ark.
Every measurement, completed to the letter,
Every piece of wood God told him to use,
Was a prayer.
Every movement was devotion.
For Noah had faith,
And faith led him
To obedience and devotion.
Amen.
I think you chose a complicated but important subject for this poem. I like that you quoted the Bible in the first line and included the story of Noah’s obedience. My favorite part of the poem and the most lyrical,I think, is the 2nd to last stanza. May we all follow Noah’s example of obeying God. He showed real devotion.
ReplyDeleteI think you chose a complicated but important subject for this poem. I like that you quoted the Bible in the first line and included the story of Noah’s obedience. My favorite part of the poem and the most lyrical,I think, is the 2nd to last stanza. May we all follow Noah’s example of obeying God. He showed real devotion.
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