Prompt Obedience

Time is precious and perhaps no other sector better provides evidence for this truth on a daily basis than the health sector. Every second counts in the medical field. Many face untimely death because of delays in the administration of remedial services or lack of proactiveness or thoroughness in prognosis. In such unfortunate cases, survivors and loved ones live with the heartbreaking consequences of such losses. But a timely prognosis and intervention can turn a devastating situation around for good and ensure longevity. This is especially true when a patient seeks help early and also complies with the appropriate medical instructions in good time.

Throughout scripture, we see examples of God asking people to do certain things in a particular period. Often, His instructions did not appeal to reason or known evidence. Take Noah, for instance, who built an ark when there had not yet been rain on earth or a prototype of God ever destroying the earth. Or Abraham instructed to offer his precious son to God the next day. What of Isaac who was asked to abandon his plans of relocating to Egypt and stay in Gerar to sow in a period when there was no rain? These 'heroes' stepped out in faith not knowing what was on the other side of their obedience. Today, we see the results of their obedience in Hebrews 11 and other Biblical accounts.

There is a sad story I mostly recount to illustrate the essence of prompt obedience, one that I wish will never happen to anyone. I once accompanied a sick member of a fellowship to the hospital. As we sat in front of the doctor’s office, an elderly Muslim woman, about the age of my grandmother, was brought in a wheel chair, accompanied by two younger people. As we all sat in line waiting to see the doctor, the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “Go and pray for the woman.” I quickly retorted with an excuse that she is a Muslim and I wouldn’t want to get into any argument with her children. Giving several reasons, I just didn’t get up to pay heed to the Holy Spirit. I could sense that I was brought to the hospital because of this woman but I was too self-conscious and cautious to act.

In less than five minutes, the woman was taken through a door at the other end and she was gone - dead. Her relatives stood at the entrance of the doctor’s office broken and weeping. My jaws dropped in shock as this same woman, now dead, was wheeled across. Probably, if I had prayed for her, God would have given her another chance to receive Jesus or even healed her. So, the truth stands that we will never know what would happen at the other side of our obedience. Sadly, we miss many testimonies that we could tell in our lifetime because we refuse to obey.

Our obedience to God is a demonstration of our love for Him. Jesus said if you love me, you will obey my commandments (John 14:15). What have you been dragging your feet about? Are you ready for the consequences of your action? There are people who lament today because they ignored a prompting to enroll on a course, give to someone in need, resolve an issue with someone, go to the Bible school or get married to someone. That disobedience has cost them and sadly it may have also affected others close to them negatively. The Psalmist speaks of how prompt he is to obey the commandments and orders God gives Him. What about you?

In an era where we question and try to understand everything before we act, it can cost us a great deal to act only after we are fully settled or convinced. There are people who are waiting for an ABC clarity on an issue before taking a step. Others are also complaining that they don’t have every resource to make the journey. Some are scared to take a step for fear of failure. The uncertainties are so many that it can leave a person in the same place not do anything. To walk with God we cannot do things at our own time and at our own level of reason. If we try to rationalize the promptings of the Lord, we may end up throwing many out the window. Obedience is the key to unlocking all that God has for us so we must not risk by dragging our feet. Obedience is everything: not even prayer, fasting or giving can substitute it.

Promptness in obeying God's commands goes in several directions. Sometimes, it means being quick to act, other times it means waiting and on other occasions it means halting on a track we've taken. Obedience is also evaluated in the completeness of our compliance with the orders God gives us. In 1 Samuel 15, we read an account of Saul being directed to completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation and their possessions. However, Saul and his men opted to keep the best of their livestock and what appealed to them. When the prophet met him, Saul shouted "I have carried out the Lord's command". When the prophet asked where the bleating of animals was from, the king retorted that they reserved them to sacrifice them to the Lord. But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” (verse 22, NLT).

Saul lost the throne because he was more concerned about pleasing God with his offerings rather than carrying out the assignment God has given him. There are many who are busy trying to offer burnt offerings to get around the things God is asking them to do but it doesn’t work that way. A. W. Tozer said, “Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute prayer for obedience, and it simply will not work.” We must not substitute prayer or sacrifice for obedience.

Once I visited my folks in Tema and was sent off with lots of foodstuff to the city I worked in. I prepared a portion of fish which I intended to deliver to my prayer partner in the evening at a prayer meeting. However, considering how tired I was from an 8-hour trip, I planned to skip this meeting and rest for the workweek ahead. As I sat on my bed, I had the prompting to take the fish to him at the prayer meeting. But I reasoned: I am tired and I cannot just deliver this package at the prayer grounds and leave the meeting. Why not take the fish to him during the weekend, after all its just fish and it's not like they don’t have any food or have requested fish from me. But I heard again, 'Take the fish to him'. So, I stopped arguing and stepped out to deliver the fish to him at the church premises. I told him what it was and explained that I could not stay for the prayer meeting.

The flip side of the story happened the Monday morning. I was at work when he called to thank me, and said his wife wanted to speak to me. After thanking me she added, " I now know that God is a provider". Apparently, that Sunday they didn’t have money, just some few food items and no fish for the evening's meal. So that morning she had prayed that God will provide fish for them that evening and to her surprise God did provide enough fish for the week. She has heard often her husband speaking about God’s provision but it seemed he was the only one always experiencing that. Realizing how my disobedience could have deepened her doubts about God's provision, I quickly asked God to forgive me for almost rationalizing his prompting away.

When we obey God promptly, we reveal His love to those at the receiving end and, in return, our faith is increased. Are there people who are complaining and viewing God negatively because of your delayed obedience. Are you making excuses for everything you are directed to do? If you want to do significant things for the Lord, the military saying, "obey before complain", is relevant to you. Don’t delay when God asks you to do something because an excellent work done out of season is of no use. Instead of rationalizing the voice of God, why not take the step and see what He can do? Can God count on you?