Simply Obey

One quality that parents desire in their children is that of obedience. The dictionary tells us that obedience is doing, or willing to do, what you have been told to do by someone in authority. So, parents require obedience in their children. However, when we observe parents and children, the roles have been reversed and children expect their parents to obey them.

At times, as people of faith, we have the same attitude. We want to chart our own course and do our own thing. In the book of Jonah, we see someone who behaved that way with God. God said, “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” (Jonah 1:2 NLT) That was a simple command. God gave the location and message. Jonah had a most unusual response; “But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.” (verse 3)

Johan forgot for a moment who God is. For people of faith obedience is hearing the word of God and acting on it. In other words, it means doing what God said. Sometimes we do not like the assignment but that has nothing to do with God. God decided to redirect Noah to the place He sent him. Jonah had the most unpleasant experience when he chose to disobey God. God provided transportation inside the belly of a fish. God told Jonah again to go to Nineveh, this time he complied. As a result, “The people of Nineveh believed God’s message.” (Jonah 3:5) We cannot control the reaction to the message, it’s our responsibility as people of faith to deliver the message and leave the details to God.

Thought for Today: Friend, when God speaks, obey.

Have a blessed day and walk in faith and victory.