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In almost every public school district, students have to obey certain rules if they want to participate in sports. They are expected to model good behavior, avoid alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, and keep up their grades. If they violate the rules, they pay a price. In one district, violators have to run up to 30 miles. High expectations and severe consequences for violators give us a glimpse of God’s holy nature. Under the covenant with ancient Israel, God expected obedience from everybody, but especially from the leaders. In Leviticus chapter eight, we see that before a priest could assume his office, he had to demonstrate his intent to obey God’s rules. Moses said to the incoming priests, “Now stay at the entrance of the Tabernacle day and night for seven days, and do everything the LORD requires. If you fail to do this, you will die, for this is what the LORD has commanded.” Ancient Israel failed to keep God’s strict laws—as all of us fail to do. Our weakness in obeying God is why He sent us His Son Jesus. Jesus Christ fully obeyed His Father. Christ’s total obedience included dying on the cross. His perfect obedience qualified Him to be King over the entire universe. So the more fully we obey our Lord the more fully He can use us for His high purposes.
