Who Knew There's an Obedience Plant?

Obedience Plant photo from www.pondplantsdirect.com

Obedience won’t always be met with satisfaction or approval from all around us, nor even those our obedience involves.

 

Sometimes the only place it’s confirmed is in our heart.

 

Sometimes no one else even notices.

 

Sometimes others are angered or puzzled by our actions.

 

Whether it looks to us like a huge act of obedience, a demanding sacrifice or a simple word to a stranger, being obedient doesn’t have to be hard. But, there’s nothing that says it will be easy, either.

 

It can be a delightful thing, like buying a cup of coffee for a stranger, in Jesus’ Name.

 

It can be giving up something we want so badly that we’ve worked for it and earned it by the sweat of our brow, or scrambling to win a contest where the prize is phenomenal, only to hear that still small voice prompt you to let the second place person beat you. Or giving your coat to a homeless person, even when it’s your favorite coat…

 

It might be an act we consider embarrassing in some way or that takes us out of our comfort zone, perhaps like striking up a conversation with a stranger that doesn’t “look” like someone we’d normally talk to. I’m pretty safe with that one, because I’ll talk to anyone about just anything. But there are still times it feels uncomfortable when I feel God’s Spirit nudge me to bring Him up in the conversation. Don’t ask me why, I’ve asked myself that question hundreds of times; fear of rejection (they’re not rejecting me, though, they’re rejecting Him!) or not feeling prepared for a question they might ask….

 

Every year at our church on Easter Sunday, we celebrate God giving His best, His Son, with us giving our best offering; our Resurrection Seed. This time, it was more of an act of obedience for my husband and I than ever before, because our “best” offering, was not our biggest offering. Pride wants us to give more each year. But, obedience demands that we do what God shows us to do. Our pastor rehearses it in our ears repeatedly, to seek God for the seed. This year our offering was pitifully small, and an odd amount. We are capable of giving so much more to this offering. But what better seed to sow than that of obedience?

 

It felt terrific, once it left our hands. Up till that moment, however, it felt terribly awkward. Now it feels as though we’re walking in a paradigm shift of some sort.

 

“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 2 Samuel 15:22 (KJV)

 

Obedience Plant photo from www.gardenhoard.com