God’s Presence: The Reward of Obedience

Read: Leviticus 26-27

If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, ….  I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.

Leviticus 26:3,12

God’s presence is the promise and reward of obedience.

The first thirteen verses of this chapter point to the consequences of obedience. Many of the law codes of the ancient east ended with a section on rewards and punishments. Rewards for those who obey and punishments for those who don’t. In the Bible, this twenty-sixth chapter of Leviticus is one such section.

Here, the Lord is making promises to His people. If the people are careful to obey the commands of the Lord, He would bless them with good rain, in season, and rich harvests. He promises to protect them and keep them safe from wild animals. He promised peace through victory over their enemies. But the greatest blessing was the promise of God’s Presence. He promised to walk among them, to be their God.

The Bible is full of promises of God’s presence. In God’s presence is fullness of joy. At His right hand are pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11). Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:7). The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18).

God promises His presence to those who obey Him even today. Obedience to God proves our love for Him (1 John 5:2-3), demonstrates our faithfulness to Him (1 John 2:3-6), glorifies Him in the world (1 Peter 2:12), and opens avenues of blessing for us (John 13:17).

Would you ask God to help you obey Him and so enjoy His presence in your life, daily?

How can you make obedience to God a priority in your life? What obstacles have prevented you from obeying God’s commands in the past, and how can you overcome them to pursue a deeper relationship with Him?

What areas of your life do you need to work on to grow in obedience and experience more of God’s presence? What steps can you take to be obedient in these areas?

Prayer

Lord, help me grow each day in my obedience to you and your word, I pray, Amen.

Scripture Writing: James 4:7

Song: In Your Presence