Encouragement for Today - June 25, 2008

 

June 25, 2008

 

The Adventure of Obedience

Glynnis Whitwer

 

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

         

Devotion:

The story is told that when Dr. David Livingstone was working in Africa, a group of friends sent a letter saying, "We would like to send other men to you. Have you found a good road into your area yet?”  Apparently, Dr. Livingstone sent this message in reply: "If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all."

 

I wonder if God thinks this about us sometimes. I wonder if He ever calls us to obedience without showing us the path we will travel, or the end result, just to see what we will do. Kind of like a test. Will we obey without a road map?

 

And I often wonder why following God isn’t easier. There are days when I feel tired of getting called out of my comfort zone to obey God. On those days I’ve been known to whine in my prayers asking God if there isn’t any way I can serve Him from the safety of my recliner. But that’s not God’s ways. God does not wish me to be limited by my desire for security and control.

 

Maybe there is something within us that is revealed when we are pressured from without. Maybe the call to obey shines light on the truth about our faith. I know that in order to grow, faith must be stretched, and that’s often uncomfortable.

 

You see, I have not learned to trust God in the easy ways of faith. I have not learned to trust God by reading a book or listening to a great sermon. Nor have I learned to trust God by hearing how my friend trusts God. No, I am learning to trust God by stepping out into an adventure of obedience and discovering for myself that He is trustworthy.

 

This happened when my husband and I started tithing (after I resisted for years), and watched God cover all our needs and more. This happened when I obeyed His command to write a book (even though I didn’t know what I would write about), and watched God open doors of opportunity. This is happened when we said yes to adoption, and are watching the blossoming of two little girls who now have a hope and a future.

 

Obeying when God hasn’t revealed the steps along the way or the final destination is challenging. But when we choose to walk by faith and not by sight, God gets all the glory in the end because we KNOW we couldn’t have done it on our own!

 

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for being completely trustworthy. Thank You for having my best interest at heart, even when the path to obedience seems scary. Help me to take the next step of faith, even when I don’t see where I’m going. I will choose to trust You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Related Resources:

6 Habits of Highly Effective Christians by Brian T. Anderson & Glynnis Whitwer

 

What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa TerKeurst

 

Visit Glynnis Whitwer’s blog

 

Application Steps: 

Identify one thing you know God wants you to do that you haven’t done. What action can you take now towards obedience?

 

For deeper study, read Hebrews 11 and list the people of faith mentioned, and why God recognized them.

 

Reflections: 

If you could do anything for God, and knew you wouldn’t fail, what would it be?

 

What are some common reasons women have for not obeying God?

 

Power Verses:

Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (NIV)

 

2 Corinthians 5:7, “… for we walk by faith, not by sight …” (NASB)

 

Deuteronomy 28:2, “All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God.” (NASB)

 

 

 

© 2008 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

 

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