Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness of mind and heart with gratitude for all with which He has blessed you. Deuteronomy 28:47

Joy.  The wonderful distinction between legalism and obedience.

Legalism is self-centered. It is an attempt to perform. To earn favor. To lay claim to status, approval, accomplishment, self-righteousness, exemption from criticism.

One can never be secure with legalism. Was there some rule overlooked?  A different standard that someone else might apply?  Plus, there is always the secret knowing that we have not really done everything right. We have not really scored 100%. We are not really the hot stuff we are trying to convince anyone we are. We are all posers.

Legalism is fear based. But the Apostle John wrote that there is no fear in love, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears is not perfected in love.

Legalism is not obedience. Legalism is the cheap counterfeit of obedience. Legalism is focused on one’s self. Obedience is focused on the object of our affection – the love of our soul.

Obedience is about relationship.

Obedience produces joy. Legalism steals it.

Obedience springs naturally and spontaneously from a heart that loves. Obedience produces that same joy that erupts from giving that perfect gift to someone we love. Seeing his or her joy becomes our joy.

This is why Jesus said that if we love Him we will keep His commandments, not the other way around. We reverse it in our legalistic minds. We misread this to say that if we want to manufacture love for Jesus we must go out and start keeping His commandments, and at that, under our own power. We must get the sequence right. It is just as Jesus phased it. Obedience is the result – not the cause – of a heart that loves Him.

Obedience is the joy-filled joining of our soul to His.  Of conforming our being, thoughts, words, actions, to His perfect, loving plan. To His very character. Obedience unifies, unites us to Him. To obey is to fulfill our purpose and destiny.

And so, God looks to see if in our outward conformity there is joy. Joy is the validating evidence that our following of Jesus is relationship, love-based obedience, and not its self-absorbed counterfeit, legalism.

Obedience is easy. Jesus’ commandments are not burdensome. Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Obedience is easy. In fact, it is unavoidable. It is the result of loving Jesus.

Love Him. Obedience will follow. Joy will be the natural result. Every time.