The elders and I enjoyed a great road trip last Friday [June 25, 2004]. The three of us spent the day at the concluding sessions of this year’s Miller Lectures in San Jose. We heard five outstanding presentations from brethren Dee Bowman, Ed Harrell, and Woody Williams. We also spent valuable time deepening our brotherhood as we shared meals and conversation together. I’m sorry you weren’t there…though had you been, we’d have needed a bigger table at dinner!

Summarizing the highlights of the five lessons we heard Friday would fill the available space in two months’ worth of bulletins. But while I will study and meditate on the material in these lessons for some time, the one point that has most occupied my thoughts is the central thesis of brother Harrell’s sermon on Friday evening: Obedience is easy. Everything else is hard.

We don’t usually think of obedience to God’s commands as easy. We view obedience as a chore, a hardship, a burden. Wait — what was that last word? Burden? Jesus spoke about that one in Matthew 11:30: “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Now we’re faced with a quandary. We think obedience is a burden, heavy to bear. Jesus said His burden is light and easy. Whom do you suppose is correct — us, or the Lord?

The more I consider it, though, the more I understand just how correct Jesus is. When I reflect on all of the trials and tribulations of my life that were self-inflicted — the hardships I’ve borne as a direct result of my own action, or in some instances, inaction — every one of those trials arose out of my failure to obey the Lord and follow His instructions. Every one — there are no exceptions that come to mind. In every situation where I have created a problem for myself, it has been because of my disobedience. I have never, to the best of my recollection, caused myself trouble by doing exactly what the Scriptures directed me to do.

It’s true that we can disobey God pretty much without effort. It requires no exertion whatsoever to not do what the Bible commands — none. The consequences, however, are always infinitely worse than what would have befallen us had we done what we were supposed to do, according to God’s word. Your experience may be different, and if so, I’d like to hear your story. Long experience tells me — now that I’m awake and listening — that life is easier and better when I obey my Lord.

Someone might point out that Paul says “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 2:12). True enough, but there are degrees of suffering. We may suffer for doing right, but the Scriptures also tell us, “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed...for it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:14, 17).

The inspired apostle says, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:15-16). If suffering is inevitable — and it is — it’s less painful to experience the material consequences of obedience than the eternal penalty for disobedience: “Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:13). Doesn’t that sound as if obedience makes for an easier and more joyful path through life?

In the movie A Mighty Wind, a band sings a folk song entitled, “Do What the Good Book Tells You To.” I believe the song is intended to be facetious, but that’s sound advice nonetheless. I plan to make my life easier from this day forward, by dedicating myself all the more diligently to obeying God’s word. How about you?