“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said.
“Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
1 Samuel 14:7 NIV
o·bey [oh-bey]
–verb (used with object)
1.to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of:*
Obey. It’s a simple word. But doing it is anything but simple. It is a verb – an action word. This word should call us to action. But many times it doesn’t. The Lord is really speaking to me about obeying. I get it everywhere. I hear His words echoing to me from my own words to my children. “I need you to obey me the first time I ask.” I hear Him in the words from a childhood song “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” The melody appears in my head from nowhere.
I read it in my daily Bible readings. Today my cannon blast of OBEY came from the Bible. I am reading about Saul and his son Jonathan. Jonathan decides to sneak away with his armor bearer and try to defeat the Phillistines. He realizes that his father Saul isn’t exactly following God’s commands. Jonathan assures his armor bearer that with God they can do anything. His companion’s reply pierces my heart. “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
Oh, that I would be so sure of our Lord. I knew as soon as I read the words that they should be my words to God. Whatever it is you want to do, Lord. Do it. I am with you and will follow. I kept reading and got cannon blast number 2.
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ?
To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22 NIV
Now, I’ve just recently read Leviticus, and I know how important the sacrifices are to God. But obedience is even more important. This is BIG, y’all. We have to obey God. When He calls to us and impresses His will on our hearts, we need to listen and obey. I have learned first hand how much He blesses when I obey. Usually when God speaks to me like this, He is preparing me for something.
My heart is anxious today as I wonder, what next Lord? What will you call me to do next? But mostly I ask myself, am I ready? Will I obey when He calls me next? He is probably wondering the same thing and is working to be a little proactive.
Lord, I want to be obedient in all you call me to do. Help me listen to your voice and follow. Let the words of Jonathan’s armor bearer be my words to you. “Do all that you have in mind. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” Lord, help my “YES” to be ready when you call. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. I will follow. Amen
* definition from Dictionary.com
I honestly just don’t even know what to type. I know God is speaking directly through you to me. He was speaking to me through Amy yesterday. And now you and a friend of mine today. Sigh.
Obey. I know His nature. I know He is the one offering abundant life and that the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy. I know God loves me and wants the very best for me. So….why am I walking in this area of disobedience?
Honestly, I think I am going to go sit and cry for a little while. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. And I need to repent and then just plain old OBEY.
Thanks, Carol. I needed this.
My mentor always says “blessings follow obedience”. The blessing of learning something new or seeing God move in a brand new way, the blessing of His peace..the blessing of being used. All really awesome things. But how often we miss those things because we don’t obey the first time. I know I’m guilty of this!
Thanks for this challenge today….
This is a scary but exciting place to be. To relinquish control to God and say “whatever, Lord, I will obey.”
That takes a lot of guts my friend.
Thanks for the bold encouragement.
So great Carol.
OBEY..pobably the most inportant 4 letter word of all time.
Obedience is all about trust, isn’t it?
Why is it so hard to trust the Maker of all things?
He will bless obedience, but giving over that control makes you feel like your falling backwards off a cliff. And you wonder– is there going to be anyone there to catch you?
I say to my children all the time… if you loved me you would obey me the first time. Ouch… maybe I need to say that to myself more often. Thanks for the obedience reminder. Remember a few weeks ago I posted on obedience. Am I getting that message again from the Lord through you so soon?
Obedience is heavy on my heart right now as well. I am feeling like God may be calling me to do something to take my family – namely my children out of our comfort zone. He has not made it crystal clear yet, but that’s what I feel. And, I find myself wrestling with those thoughts. “Surely not me, Lord – not my children – they’re still so impressionable.” But, I know that if I think what He is calling me to do IS really IT I had better listen and simply obey because I know that there won’t be blessings if I don’t.