Have you every had someone speak to you and you didn’t understand what they said? So you say, “What did you say?” Then you quickly say, “Oh, I know what you said.”
One night some friends and I were discussing this phenomenon; we laughed and labeled it delayed hearing.
The thought wouldn’t leave me – Delayed Hearing. Then I thought of Delayed Obedience to God - which is really disobedience.
James 1:19-20 (HCSB)
19 My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
20 for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
James tells us to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Therefore, we should not be slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger. So many times in the lives of Beleivers, God speaks and instructs; then the Believer rationalizes away the instruction of God. We are slow to hear, quick to speak, and usually quick to anger.
I know of a lady (Mary) who was led by God - in prayer - to buy another lady (Dolly) a Christmas gift. Mary bought the gift – a beautiful book of inspirational verses and pictures. Mary didn’t want to give the gift to Dolly – who was going through a very rough time in her life – in front of people so Mary didn’t bring the book to church on Sunday. Mary is still under the leadership of the Spirit.
On Sunday, Dolly was rude and distant to Mary. Mary’s feelings were hurt; she didn’t even know if she liked Dolly any more. On Monday, Mary knew that God was telling her to take the book to Dolly who was at work. Mary didn’t want to be hurt again; what if Dolly was mean to her? Mary drove to where Dolly worked. She started to go inside and saw Dolly’s car; she put the book on the driver’s seat and went home.
Weeks later, Dolly told Mary that she went to her car with the intention of committing suicide. She found the book. The gift caused her to turn to God.
What if Mary had not taken the book? What if she had delayed her obedience?
Another illustration that I have told you before – true story: The evangelist was tired and weary. He went to the restaurant to eat. He felt the Lord leading him to share Christ with his server. The evangelist put it off because of his weariness, and by the time he left, he just decided that he was too tired to even make sense. He left the restaurant; but the fact that he hadn’t witnessed wouldn’t leave him. An hour later he went back to the restaurant and asked the manager if he could speak with the server. The manager told the evangelist that the server had shot and killed himself about an hour earlier.
What if the evangelist had not delayed obedience?
James 4:17 (HCSB)
17 So, for the person who knows to do good and doesn’t do it, it is a sin.
Often we miss the good things that God has for us by delayed obedience. We miss the blessing and the spiritual growth. Does God forgive? Surely. Is He merciful? Of course.
Think of Jonah and the Ninevites. Jonah fled from God. He wound up in the belly of the whale for 3 days and then he went to Nineveh. He grudgingly preached to the Ninevites; and when they repented and God was merciful, Jonah became angry with God for being merciful. God had used him to save many souls, but all Jonah could see and feel was his prejudice and negativity.
Why didn’t God send someone else? Surely there were others whom He wouldn’t have had to force? God was trying to teach and grow Jonah. But Jonah refused. How sad and tragic.
There is another kind of disobedience. One that isn’t obvious to the world, but God sees the heart.
Matthew 21:28-32 (HCSB)
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’
29 “He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went.
30 Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. “ ‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go.
31 “Which of the two did his father’s will?” “The first,” they said. Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you!
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.
The second son looked good to all who heard him answer his father. But the father knew that the son never went to the field. The first son was probably talked about and criticized by those who heard his rebellious answer, but the father rewarded the son’s obedience.
In this parable, Jesus is trying to point out to the Pharisees that they looked really good on the outside – all clean and religious. The prostitutes and tax collectors looked sinful and were social outcasts. But God knows who has accepted Him and who has rejected His wonderful offer of salvation.
What about you, Child of God? Has God instructed you to do something or not to do something? Maybe you haven’t actually said, “no;” but you’ve convinced yourself that you didn’t really hear God. Or maybe you keep putting it off till a more convenient time. Or maybe fear is holding you back. Whatever God has called you to do, He will enable you. He is faithful. Be obedient and leave the outcome in God’s hands.
Be like Isaiah who said, “Here am I, Lord; send me.”
Be like Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Luke 1:38 (HCSB)
38 “I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
Were they afraid? Sure they were. Did they suffer persecution? Sure they did. Was it worth it?
Can you think of anything more blessed than to get to Heaven and look into the face of Jesus; to see the nail prints in His hands and feet; to see where the sword pierced His side – all for you – and to hear, “Well done, Good and Faithful Servant. Well done.”? (Matthew 25:23)
**Lord Jesus, I have allowed many things to hinder my obedience to You – both sins of commission and sins of omission. Forgive me. Fill me with Your Spirit. I want to possess an intense desire to do Your Will. I want to produce the fruit of the Spirit, of righteousness, and of Spiritual Reproduction. I want to be a servant who is worth something to my Master. Use me, Lord. Here am I, send me. Amen.
