Delayed obedience is still disobedience

If you love me, you will obey me. John 14:15

A very powerful statement in the Experiencing God study that I’ve been participating in said, “Delayed obedience is still disobedience.” Many times I’ve thought of the story in the bible where a father asks his two sons to work in his vineyard; the first son says “no,” but later changes his mind and goes, while the second son says “yes, sir” but doesn’t go. Jesus asks which son did the father’s will, and the answer is the first son, teaching that actions matter more than mere words. (Matthew 21: 28-32) Today, that very story was mentioned in the study, and I knew it was God’s way of getting my undivided attention.

Often, I have felt the Lord’s leading to do something like answer a phone call from a friend in need or help someone when I would rather do my own thing. My initial response is usually selfish, and I begin to rationalize my own desires and make excuses. Then, after a wrestling match with my will, I do what God has asked me to do. When I read the study today, I was very convicted. The truth is that my delayed obedience is still disobedience.

My journal pages have several entries that say, “I love you, Lord.” That sounds and looks great, but this bold truth has challenged me to put my words into practice. If I love Him, I will obey Him. Immediately, without hesitation or doubts.

As I prayed for God to guide me, I believe He saw that as an opportunity to test my conviction to make the necessary changes I wanted to make to obey Him promptly. The first thing I felt I had to do was to go to bed earlier and stop watching so much late-night television. Then I was to get up earlier. That all sounded so practical, but putting it into practice has proven a bit harder than I thought, and it’s a test in being obedient in the little things, which will prepare me to be obedient in bigger things.

I began making my old excuses of how I sleep better in the early morning hours, because I can finally turn my mind off from all the overstimulation of the night before. Then, of course, the enemy taunted me with thoughts of “God is making you jump through hoops,” and “Is this really from God?”

The real reason behind those requests was that God was inviting me to join Him in those early morning hours for quiet, uninterrupted communion with Him. When the alarm went off, and I was tempted to hit the snooze button, I could hear, “don’t delay, obey,” and the results of that obedience made my whole day better. Not only was His leading practical and for my own good, but it was an invitation to spend time with Him, and I’ve learned that whatever He is asking me to do is well worth doing the moment that He speaks.