Obedience. This word keeps popping up everywhere. I don't feel like I'm disobedient, well most of the time. But I strongly feel like God is asking me to be obedient. To maybe better understand obedience? To be obedient to something specific? All of the above?
Last Saturday Priscilla shared a story on obedience from her recent travels. Priscilla, her husband and a young woman who works with them would be flying out of the airport in Dallas. This is a huge airport and the young woman had not traveled much so she was a little overwhelmed. They got to the correct concourse, D, and got in line to go through security. Priscilla and her husband got through security much faster so they texted the young woman their gate, 22A, waited for the thumbs up from her and headed on to the gate. The time came to board the plane and the young woman had never made it to the gate. Priscilla and her husband, worried, boarded the plane. They tried texting her, no response. Finally as the plane was about to take off she came running on. When they asked her what had happened she told them when she got the message with the gate, 22A, she thought he meant A22! For those of you who don't travel much this meant a completely different part of the airport. They were in D22A not A22! She had gotten out of line, gone all the way across the airport, realized she was in the wrong place and come all the way back to where she started. The words Priscilla said next cut deep regarding how I sometimes treat instruction from the Lord. Her husband told the young woman that if she had just done exactly what he said she could have saved herself a lot of time and energy.
Oh what truth there is in these words! As a parent how often do I say this same thing to my son? But worse, how often is God saying it to me and I don't even realize it? Exactly what God says, God means. Whether it is words in the Bible or something He has laid on my heart, it's all true and He means it all. I know I am guilty of saying I'm just waiting to make sure that really what He means, or that it's really Him talking and not my idea... what a lot of time wasted. I'm also guilty of trying to find an easier way to get something done. Read, "taking the scenic route" as my dad would say. You usually end up right back where you started and have to follow the instruction you chose not to follow in the beginning anyway. And even if you don't start all the way over you can be sure it will take you twice as long to get there, all because you didn't trust the instruction you were given. Then there is the Bible, believing every word written on every page. Believing they mean exactly what they say they mean and not trying to shape them into what I would like them to mean or use them how it works best for me.
Want to know some good news? Do you know what waits for you and me on the other side of obedience?
VICTORY!!!
Judges chapter 7, verse 20 ends saying "a sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon". Well I don't know if you've read the story of Gideon or not but his seemingly meager army of only 300 came to the battle each with a trumpet, an empty jar, and a torch. No swords. Priscilla pointed out to us that only the enemy had swords in this battle and even they, though in the hands of the enemy, belonged to the Lord. The enemy annihilated themselves! God was (and is) in control!
To gain the victory in any battle Priscilla reminded us that we only need one, the One. Every battle we face should begin on our knees talking to the One. From here we will be going into battle trusting God to bring us (and Him) the victory. We can't go wrong. Start on our knees. Praise Him for all He has done and is going to do. Then follow through in obedience. Do exactly what He says to do.
Seems so simple. Why do I make it so complicated?
Lord,
I've asked you to use me. I've asked you to send me. I've asked you to empty me and fill me with you. I've asked you to show me how to love like you love, and the list goes on. You have been doing and are willing to continue doing all of these things and so much more. It is up to me to be obedient. It is up to me to continue to draw closer to you so that I can recognize your still small voice and not confuse it with my own. Lord, all I ask of You today is just that you continue to remain in me. Push me to be obedient, even if it's uncomfortable. Continue to nudge me, inching me further and further along on this journey with You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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