Obedience brings Victory. And Victory is Life

I'm a big Star Trek fan. I've enjoyed almost ever incarnation of this Sci-Fi giant. Recently my husband and I have been watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. One of the enemies for this particular series are the Jem'Hadar. These creatures are genetically engineered for battle and controlled through a drug called ketracel-white; which they require to function properly. Their mantra is "Obedience brings Victory. And Victory is Life." Every time they say this, I cringe. They are following orders from people who don't care for them and whose only goal is their own survival. I always felt it was such a terrible mantra. But today I had a revelation. 

During today's sermon, my pastor was going over John 10, The Good Shepherd. One of his points was how do we ensure that we can hear our Good Shepherd's (Jesus) voice. We need to read His word, meditate in His word, memorize His word and obey His word. Through obeying His word & voice we find life. Something just sparked in me and the mantra "Obedience brings Victory. And Victory is Life" flashed in my mind. This mantra is true if who you are obeying truly loves you unconditionally, wants the best for you and who laid down His own life for you. There is only one person who has ever done that and that's Jesus. 

Jesus has proven His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness to us. He seeks us out when we are lost and broken. He offers us everlasting life with Him in glory. His love and care reveal themselves in all that He does for us. Even when our lives feel like a mess. He is there to see us through. We live in an imperfect world were sadness, injustice, illness and evil exist. Without Jesus guiding us through and teaches us how to live; this world will overtake us. So in this contexts were the one being obeyed is Christ, our Savior, Redeemer and Lord then yes there is value to this mantra, "Obedience brings Victory. And Victory is Life." 

"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14-15

May we heed and obey the voice of our Good Shepherd as he leads us to everlasting Life.