20 June – It Could Save Your Life

I have often said to all of our six children, “You need to learn to obey Dad and I quickly when we ask you to do something because then you will learn to obey God when He speaks and that could save your life one day”.

Have you ever been in a situation where a child or someone else’s life depended on their immediate cooperation? No time for negotiations or discussions. “It is very important that you do exactly what I say – right now” Why because there is a car suddenly approaching, dangerous wildlife, a potential damaging relationship forming, or something harmful in close proximity to them.

That’s when it is so important that we have cultivated an attitude within ourselves to listen and positively and quickly respond. Sometimes there is simply no time for the usual delay tactics, questioning and explanations. We just need to be willing and obedient.

Yet so often we can be like little children, unaware of what is coming around the bend or what might be coming up behind us, yet God sees everything and the dangers we might be missing! He sees and wants to protect us from harm, plus He also knows the opportunities and plans He has set up for us. All we need do is step a certain way to enter into this new blessing and to choose to trust and obey.

Recently someone I know was travelling overseas and was heading out of the hotel to visit a nearby tourist attraction. Suddenly they felt the Holy Spirit say, “Stop and have lunch, Now”. “But I was heading out to see something up the street they replied”. “Stop and have lunch here in the hotel”, was the Lord’s reply. Now they had a choice. Did they do their own thing, or did they obey and sit down and have lunch. Fortunately, as they were about to find out, they chose to stop and have some lunch. A few minutes later they heard a loud crash from outside, gunshots, shouting and people rushing into the hotel foyer fearing for their lives. Outside someone had rammed their car into the barricade of the high security building just outside, and now there were armed police swarming up and down the street.

My friend would have been right in the middle of this potentially harmful and frightening situation, had they not obeyed God’s directive to stop and have some lunch. Instead they sat peacefully eating their sandwich and had the opportunity to encourage a medical Doctor staying in the hotel with the account of their healing from cancer. Why? Simply because they were both willing and obedient.

“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land” (Isaiah 1:19)

As you go about your everyday life know that a lot of effort and planning by all of heaven is at work both keep you safe and to bring the right people into your life and keep the negative influences out. God has people for us to meet and blessings for us to walk in but the important thing for us to learn is to obey swiftly both the directives in His Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It will lead us to life’s greatest blessings and possibly even save our life one day. 

Prayer: Lord help me remember to be willing and obedient because you are interested and care about every aspect of my life. Please help me to love and trust you more. In Jesus Name Amen.