Your Yes and God's Best
None of us like being told what to do.
In fact, the moment someone says “you can’t do that, Jess” I internally start counting how long it will take for me to accomplish just that. No one likes taking orders, or at least in our flesh we don’t.
Giving orders? Well, that sounds much better.
Obedience, as a word, is old-fashioned and associated with archaic systems. We don’t hashtag #obedience below our snaps of the beach.
This year has been a year of “yes” for me. When God first told me to exit a wonderful job and ministry I had worked so hard for I was appalled. I was pruning my flowers in the back yard when I felt him say he was going to do that to me. Prune me away from my job, the ministry… I contested, “no way!” I remembered saying “prune someone else Lord!” In the coming months though, I knew that he was replanting me, and that saying no would actually be disobedience. So, I said yes.
This year has been one of the richest years in the books for me spiritually. God has shown me his wonder, faithfulness, goodness and green pasture. This is the year that miracles became real to me: I not only witnessed them but experienced them myself, the awesome power of the living God healing backs, minds, hips, tumors, and emotions. I’ve had more visions and dreams combined this year than every year prior in my Christian walk.
And, God has been chatting constantly. He tells me when to move, he has specifics as to how. He explains how to deal with different types of people. He tells Jon and I how he wants His church to be ran. He commands me to do certain things: like give to certain people, to serve the poor, to ask people to be a part of our team, to pray more.
And, while I am not perfect in this, I try to say “yes”.
Obedience, according to Deuteronomy 28 leads to blessing. If you obey God, then God will, according to Deut 28:
Heal your city and country.
Bless your children.
Bless your livestock and land (translation: your job and your efforts)
Bless you in provision.
Defeat your enemies.
Bless “everything you put your hand to”.
Unleash the “storehouses of his bounty” on you.
You will be blessed when you come in, and when you go out.
As you go out today, what do you need to obey God in? What is he requesting that you have yet to say “yes” to? On the other side of your “yes” is God’s best.