Tag Archives: obedience

A child’s heart shared…

We all have busy days and often busy nights too.  Of late we’ve battled snowstorms, ice damage, frigid temperatures, colds, headaches, and muscle aches.  However, let’s not be distracted by these things.

As I was folding back the boys bedding in preparation for bedtime.  I thought, “Tonight would be a good night to change the cotton sheets and apply the warm, cozy flannel sheets to the bed.”  Forgetting all the body aches, although making it difficult to lift the mattresses, I knew how happy the boys would be when they snuggled in on a cold night.

As I was walking with Sam to his bedroom, I told him he would be able to sleep in shorts and a t-shirt tonight!  No heavy night-suit!  When we got to his room, and he gazed at his bed, his eyes lit up!  He quickly changed into his shorts and t-shirt and jumped into bed.  “Ahh…Oh mom, my bed feels so good with these sheets on.”  As he hunkered into the bed, as if to dig a hole into the memory foam mattress, he sighed.  Then he turned and raised his hand to rub my arm gently.  “Oh mom, you do so much to make us happy.  I know you do not feel well, but you are always concerned about us.”  Then a sniffle, “I wish I were bigger and could do these things for you!”  He whimpered.  He proceeded to tell me how he will take care of me when he got older as I have taken care of him.  That he would even move me to a warmer climate, near him, because that is where he has already decided to live—in a warmer place.  I guess he has had enough of the harsh winter too.  He said, “Mom, what can I do for you?”  Without thought or hesitation, I said, “Just obey, Sam.”  I proceeded to tell him how delighted I am when he starts homework on time—when he comes to the dinner table, when I call. Also, that he brushes his teeth, when asked.  “That is it Sam.”  When you do these things, you make me very happy.

Sam and I said our nightly prayers, and when I finished my part of the prayers…Sam was fast asleep.  I was glad Sam appreciated something as small as flannel sheets on his bed.  However, I am most happy that he shared his gratitude and appreciation for my efforts.  Later, as I prayed to God, he shared with me that all He wants is for us to obey Him, also.  I was sorrowful that perhaps I’ve been doing more complaining than praising of late.  So I looked back over the past week and began to thank God for all the victories of the week that might have been overshadowed by the many challenges.  I started smiling and imagined that God was starting to feel a little like I did when Sam shared his heart with gratitude and thanksgiving with me.

Lord, I thank You that I can see you in big and small ways!  Most of all, I thank You for loving me.  You care for me, and I believe you seek opportunities in my life, even amidst my challenges, to let me see You.  I will be obedient to Your call Lord.  So I thank You for restoring me.

From a child’s heart, God shared with me a lesson of love and obedience.

Deuteronomy 6:4-13

 

MUST READ: The Power of Prayer

God displays His Power. How did He do it for me? Three months ago I started a prayer journal, for “special requests”. In my journal, I wrote down the names of people who God had me to pray for regularly, almost daily at times—and I fervently prayed. There were the names of those that I prayed would get to know Jesus as Savior in their lives. There were those that I prayed would gain a deeper spiritual understanding of God. Others I asked God to help live for Him, some I prayed God would give them strength and endurance, and some to have joy and thankfulness. I thanked God for others their faith and changed lives.

My list included those who needed healing, a job, favor, forgiveness, protection, encouragement, direction, and so on. Over the past three months, I asked God to teach me even how to pray effectively so that He could hear and answer my prayers for these in my prayer journal.

Last night, the Holy Spirit awakened me to pull out my prayer journal and pray for each. I have 71 people on this list, so this was no small early morning tasks. I started down my list to pray, but this time The Holy Spirit showed me something new! He showed me how God had started to answer my prayers over these 71 lives! Not all my requests were answered, but many, many, of them were! I got most excited about the ones that had gained deeper spiritual understanding!   Prayer changes thing—God changed things. God had heard and answered my prayers! God is not done yet! I believe God wanted me to see last night that He is hearing and answering my prayers. God encouraged me. He showed me what I wrote down exactly three months ago, and what He has done! I leaped with excitement! OMG Lord! You are amazing! Before I went to bed, The Lord shared with me that he loves to answer EXPECTANT PRAYERS! You see, I never doubted God, but my prayer list included some huge challenges, and, requested miracles. However, God did it! He also answered them in very creative ways.

At first my listed only included friends, not enemies. When God started teaching me about forgiveness, even my accusers showed up on my list—my enemies are on my list! I am going to keep on praying, like never before. The sweetest thing was I went to bed at 3:00AM, and I asked The Lord to please not let me oversleep because I needed to get up at 6:00AM. So when my eyes gently opened this morning, I looked at the clock, “6:00 AM” it displayed. Oh Lord! You care about everything concerning us! There is tremendous power in prayer!

All About Authority

When it comes to relating properly to authority, think on this…

Do you gossip and criticize your boss, yet you want a raise, bonus or promotion? Did you know that doing so is a form of rebellion?

Do you grumble and complain about what you do not like at work–a lunch period, clocking in, or a certain shift? Stop complaining and just do it! When someone in a position of authority tells us to do something, we should do it. In doing so, we are practicing obedience unto God.   1 Peter 2:13-15 says, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good, you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.” If we are to be persecuted, it should be for obeying God, not for breaking moral or civil laws.

How about the “no parking” zone or the “do not cross on flashing light” signal, or returning your carriage at the supermarket? These may seem like small things, but practicing operating under authority with small things, can lead to big blessings! Remember, we are doing it because we want to obey God.