Instant Obedience

Today was an exciting day!  A day I never thought would happen when I started by time overseas.  The President of "the company" I work for came to visit.  He was making a tour through all of South Asia and stopped for about 24 hours in my city.

He even preached at my church.  It does the heart good to hear slightly drawled English coming out of the pulpit.

The passage he spoke about was Psalm 95:7a-8b which says, "Today, if only you would hear his voice, “Do not harden your hearts..."

The theme was the L0rdship of JC.  

The evidence of this L0rdship is  INSTANT OBEDIENCE!

Recently, this has been a hot topic of discussion with some of the people we teach and work with.  We've been pushing for instance obedience and their response has been "we'll try JC, just give us time."  It has been a frustrating few moments on the merry-go-round.

So, when I heart "instant obedience" being preached this morning, my immediate response was, "Yeah, go get them!  Preach it!"  I even looked in the direction of someone I knew needed to understand the importance of instant obedience.

And then, he asked, "How many of you today have heard G0d's voice, but have not done what He said?"  He listed some examples and then he said, "How many of you have not shared with someone you are supposed to share with.  If that is you, will you raise your hand?"

Suddenly, I wasn't looking across the room anymore at someone else.  I was looking at my own heart, looking at my own disobedience.  My hand slipped up in the air.

I've known for several months that I needed to share with this person, but I have been putting it off for one reason or another.  Sure, I will say things about JC and I will tell her I will pray for her every time I see her, but I haven't really shared the Good News with her.  I've been nervous.  I've been scared of how she will take it.  I've lacked boldness because I know sharing with this person is a bit of a risk.

I've been disobedient.

By not being immediately obedient to what G0d's voice is telling me to do, I've made a decision.  I've made the decision--I've made the choice--to disobey.  

I've been hardening my heart.

My response to today's message is to instantly obey.  It is to do it regardless of the consequences.  It is to practice what I teach.  It is to be obedient to G0d's voice.  It is to not harden my heart.  

It is to share with that person!