Delayed Obedience IS Disobedience
There are many words in the world, ones that denote forward motion and those that create disobedience. While sitting at the dinner table on a recent evening, a mighty four-year-old graced us, and in his recitation of the lesson he had learned at school, we learn a valuable lesson about following God. The conversation went something like this:
“Jay, can you tell us what Ms. Andrea says about listening and obeying?”
“She said, “Delayed obedience is disobedience.”
Pull back your toes for the Holy Spirit may step all over them. He stepped on my toes. As we remember our past, we are reminded of times when the Lord said: “Go,” and we went the opposite way, or when the Lord said: “Speak the gospel,” and we placed our lips in a tight-lipped closed stance. We are given so many opportunities to walk in obedience. WHY DO WE DELAY? WHY DO WE DISOBEY?
The opposite word, the one denoting a forward motion of obedience. Christian artist Shirley Caesar sang these words:
“I’ll say, Yes, Lord, yes, To Your will and to Your way
(“Yes, lord, yes” 1988)
I’ll say Yes, Lord, yes, I will trust You and obey
When Your Spirit speaks to me,
With my whole heart I’ll agree
And my answer will be Yes, Lord, yes!”
In the Bible, we receive a biblical example for every life situation. The truth found in obeying God is no exception, and we only need to look at the biblical illustration of Jesus’s mother Mary. When the angel of the Lord came to her, she was a young teenager, a mere girl who had not yet known her betrothed husband Joseph in the physical way. Her cousin was six months pregnant, and in that setting, God sent His angel Gabriel to speak to God’s servant Mary. Into this situation, we see how Mary’s faithful and immediate “Yes, Lord, yes” brought the opportunity for each of us to become a child of God.
“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
(The Gospel According to Luke 1: 30-33 NASB)
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
- Mary was perplexed, for she was not yet a married woman.
- Mary was perplexed, for she did not know how this would even be possible.
“The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
(The Gospel According to Luke 1: 35 NASB)
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”
Following God—
- Means that we trust Him to keep His promises.
- Causes challenges to come as we step forward in obedience.
- Requires followers of Jesus to turn away doubt and fear, to even walk away what hinders our obedience.
- Demands a “Yes” response, even when we do not know all the details.
- Must never be delayed obedience because THAT IS ONLY DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD!
Following God—Steps forward in obedience and proclaims to our own heart & to the watching world—
“Yes, Lord, Yes.”
“And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord;
(The Gospel According to Luke 1: 38 NASB)
may it be done to me according to your word.”
And the angel departed from her.”