Your Wish is My Command

If holiness means belonging to God, a person devoted to Him does not obey Him out of fear, but out of delight and trust. He is like a child who loges to please his beloved father. This devotion is unconditional, unlike the reluctant compliance of a subordinate to a harsh commander he does not trust. 

A story in 2 Samuel 23:13-17 illustrates this idea beautifully. After David became king, the Philistines invaded Israel to undermine his rule before he could get started. Forced into the wilderness with his “mighty men,” David endured a discouraging season. In a moment of longing, he sighed, “if only i could drink water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem.” David wished he could just go at any time to drink from the well from his hometown, but it was under enemy occupation. 

Three of his elite warriors heard David’s sigh. Without being asked, they risked their lives, fought through enemy lines, filled a jug and returned with the water. Overwhelmed by their devotion, though, David refused to drink it. Instead he poured it out as a precious thank offering to God, declaring himself unworthy of such sacrificial devotion. 

This story shows the depth of obedience driven by love. When you belong to someone you love and desire to please, there’s no difference between a command, a request or a sigh. It says, “Your wish is my command.” Have this attitude and mind-set is life-changing.

Contrast this attitude with someone who asks God, “what’s the minimum required to?” That’s conditional obedience--seeking the benefits without belonging. It’s like a child who wants inheritance but not the giver. God wants you to want Him, not His gifts. He alone is the treasure.

A heart completely devoted to God doesn’t ask for the bare minimum. It asks, “what would please Him most?” It says, “Even your sigh is my command.” That’s the essence of holiness, of belonging to God.

Eric Welch