It is important that we understand the motive out of which our obedience
springs, because if the spring is not pure, everything that flows out of it
will be polluted.
The sad truth is that many Christians in these last days obey God only because
they are afraid of going to hell. They fear their Father's wrath and their
obedience to Him is "legal" only. They have no genuine desire to please Him.
Jesus did everything out of love and a desire to bring pleasure to His heavenly
Father: “Then Jesus said to them, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you
will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father
taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has
not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John
8:28-29, NIV).
This was the rock, the foundation upon which Jesus built His life of obedience.
It was the spring, the motive, out of which the flow of His obedience came. It
is to be our rock, as well.
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent me” (John 6:38).
Jesus shut Himself up in prayer on the mountaintops, in quiet places, often all
night long in fellowship with His Father. His one great prayer was, "Father,
what do You want? What will bring You pleasure? What can I do to fulfill the
desire of Your heart?"
That is the attitude of a person who has the Spirit of Christ and that should
be our attitude—that we might be one who builds on the rock. The foundational
motive of all our obedience must be: "I do all things because I want to please
my Lord; I want to bring Him great pleasure!”