What a Miss!

We went to pick my uncle up for a dinner date we had with him. He had just received a call before we walked in, that left him half amused, and half borderline pissed.

His staff was traveling to America on an official trip that night; they had spoken earlier in the day and agreed that he would pass through the house to see him on his way to the airport.

He called my uncle at the time he was supposed to be at the house, my uncle answered, expecting to hear the staff was outside, but instead he told him he was already on his way to the airport or did my uncle still want him to stop by? he could turn back. Of course he was asked to go on ahead. (Note, he wasn’t running ridiculously late. He still had time for one stop, so I really don’t understand what he was thinking. )

But you see, he missed out on something. While uncle was going through some things earlier in the day, a few hundred-dollar bills fell out and he decided he would give it to the staff traveling when he passed by; some thing a little extra for the trip. He already had a huge sum for his trip, allowance and all, but we all know that an extra hundred or two or five never hurts, in fact, it does so much good, especially in this day. That would have been a perfect extra treat,a real blessing and he missed out because he didn’t obey. He tried to play smart. I felt the pain for this guy. 

Of course he has no idea what he missed, except he reads this post or my uncle mentions it to him when he gets back. He traveled ignorant of the blessings that awaited him if only he obeyed. 

Some times obedience can feel like an inconvenience to us. Going out of our way, but it pays. It could feel like a burdensome stop at your boss’s house, when you could just take that straight road without having to divert to the airport.

When God gives instructions and ask us to obey, it’s so important that we know that our obedience isn’t for Him, it’s for our own good. Yes, we are blessed already, but those extras toppings in life, we get them through obedience.  We see people who walk in obedience sometimes and feel like God’s showing a little preferential treatment to them… but we can enjoy same privileges.
Remember, obedience is better than sacrifice!(1 Samuel 15... King Saul lost out of his kingship because he failed to obey.) 

We are asked to tithe, sow and give offerings, if we don’t do it, we wouldn’t go to hell, God wouldn’t punish us, He still loves us and still blesses us, but there’s a little extra for those who go the inconveniencing route to tithe or sow seeds (Mal 3:10, Prov 3:9-10). I wouldn’t even waste time arguing with people about tithing… I’ve tasted and seen the benefits of obedience when it comes to sowing seeds, tithing, offerings and giving to those in need. Some unexpected blessings!

Yes we are under grace and not the law and we are forgiven! But that doesn’t mean we should ignore walking in obedience of his commandments. It saves us from unnecessary issues. i.e As a lady, when you obey instructions to not have premarital sex, we enjoy the little extras and blessings of not having to deal with unnecessary heartbreaks/disappointments. When you get drunk with wine, most times you end up making stupid decisions or doing things you later regret. Those instructions are there to save us from ourselves!

(Proverbs 3:1-6) 1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

The verses above show the benefits of obedience… When we obey to trust in the Lord with all out hearts and lean not on our own understanding, and submit to Him in all our ways, He gives us a beautiful bonus of making our paths straight.

“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). Not only is this pleasing to God, but there’s also a promise of long life on earth when we obey our parents (Ephesians 6:1–3)

Obeying to spend time in prayer and fellowship with God gives us inside information on life. We walk in the supernatural... He expresses His power through us in diverse ways, because we take time out to just stay with Him and enjoy His love. It feels hard sometimes to take time out, so we go days without a proper timeout with Him and miss out on a lot.  

Sometimes obedience takes you out of your way, and like my uncle’s staff still had loads of money for his trip, we still are blessed when we refuse to take the path of obedience (for Gods blessings are without repentance Romans 11:29 and grace has qualified us to be blessed outside our doing) but we miss out on those extra things that give a rich and satisfying life, like he missed out on the extra money.

Go out of your way today in obedience, there’s grace available to yield, and O, what joy you’ll feel when you’re enjoying the benefits, makes the little inconvenience and discomfort of that moment so insignificant in comparison to the size of the blessing. 

Sweet Holy Spirit, please help me to be obedient, to listen to your voice and follow your instructions. I can't do it in my own strength, so I rest in you to help me walk in obedience. Thank you for hearing me, and giving me the grace to yield to your promptings. Amen.