Life Plan Devotion #135 [Delayed obedience]
Hi, Everyone.
I hope you had a great weekend. Please pray for my OH friend, Sandy, who is having RNY surgery today.
Today's devotion caused me to say, "Ouch! I needed that, Lord." Maybe you'll say that, too.
Life Plan Devotion #135 [Delayed obedience]
Haggai 1:5-6 "Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it'" (NIV).
In my quiet time last week, in reading through the Bible chronologically, I came to the book of Haggai. It is a short book--only two chapters. Do not let that make you think that this book is unimportant. On the contrary, it is powerful and timely.
The children of Israel had returned from Babylonian captivity. They were told to build a temple. No doubt, had you asked them what was going on, why the temple had not been built, they would have said something like, "It's not that we are saying 'No' to God; we are just saying 'Not yet.'" God had to get tough with them, to make it clear that delayed obedience is disobedience.
God says (and says repeatedly in chapters 1 and 2), "Give careful thought to your ways." Through this suggestion of self-examination, God was trying to get His people to understand that they would do well to think carefully about how they were living. By "giving careful thought," perhaps they would conclude that their ways are not serving them.
God points out that the people had planted much but harvested little. God points out that the people ate and drank but were never satisfied. God points out that the people put on clothes but could not get warm. Finally, God points out that the people were earning wages but losing their pay, because they were putting their money in a bag full of holes. The reader senses a holy pause and seems to hear God saying, "How's that working for you?"
Delayed obedience is disobedience and will usher in a dissatisfaction and endless cycle of lack. The lack may be physical, emotional, and/or spiritual. It is the experience of dis-ease.
The children of Israel delayed building the temple, but they lived in "paneled houses" (Haggai 1:4). How often do we say that we cannot afford to follow God's leading, whether it's to tithe or to give to a building project or some other kingdom work, yet we think nothing of spending ten times that amount on acquiring something for ourselves or our family.
This is not meant to bring you to condemnation, dear reader, but to encourage you to examine yourself. Perhaps there is an area where God has been dealing with you (whether it involves finances or something else), but you have been saying, "Not yet, God. Not yet." I plead with you to say "Yes" to God, for anything else will result in dissatisfaction in the temple of your heart.
Will there be a "cost" to saying "Yes" to God? Probably. Will it be easy to do what He has asked you to do? Probably not. The purpose of difficulties, of trials, is to strengthen one's faith and reliance on the Lord. It is not an excuse to say "Not yet" or, worse yet, to say "No" to God.
What this has to do with weight loss: When I talk to someone who is experiencing frustration in their weight-loss journey (and even when I talk to myself about the same thing), almost every time, when it comes down to it, the issue is delayed obedience to what one knows one should be doing. As in everything, delayed obedience is disobedience. One cannot expect to see the scale show a lower number if one is not willing to follow the diet and exercise plan one has decided on. The result is frustration and a waste of time. When the Lord gives you a nudge about the problem area (and He will), pay attention and make obedience a priority. You'll be glad you did.
Confession:
I examine my heart, to see if there are things that God has asked me to do, that I have left undone. I turn every "Not yet, God" into "Yes, Lord."
Blessings,
Mary
I hope you had a great weekend. Please pray for my OH friend, Sandy, who is having RNY surgery today.
Today's devotion caused me to say, "Ouch! I needed that, Lord." Maybe you'll say that, too.
Life Plan Devotion #135 [Delayed obedience]
Haggai 1:5-6 "Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it'" (NIV).
In my quiet time last week, in reading through the Bible chronologically, I came to the book of Haggai. It is a short book--only two chapters. Do not let that make you think that this book is unimportant. On the contrary, it is powerful and timely.
The children of Israel had returned from Babylonian captivity. They were told to build a temple. No doubt, had you asked them what was going on, why the temple had not been built, they would have said something like, "It's not that we are saying 'No' to God; we are just saying 'Not yet.'" God had to get tough with them, to make it clear that delayed obedience is disobedience.
God says (and says repeatedly in chapters 1 and 2), "Give careful thought to your ways." Through this suggestion of self-examination, God was trying to get His people to understand that they would do well to think carefully about how they were living. By "giving careful thought," perhaps they would conclude that their ways are not serving them.
God points out that the people had planted much but harvested little. God points out that the people ate and drank but were never satisfied. God points out that the people put on clothes but could not get warm. Finally, God points out that the people were earning wages but losing their pay, because they were putting their money in a bag full of holes. The reader senses a holy pause and seems to hear God saying, "How's that working for you?"
Delayed obedience is disobedience and will usher in a dissatisfaction and endless cycle of lack. The lack may be physical, emotional, and/or spiritual. It is the experience of dis-ease.
The children of Israel delayed building the temple, but they lived in "paneled houses" (Haggai 1:4). How often do we say that we cannot afford to follow God's leading, whether it's to tithe or to give to a building project or some other kingdom work, yet we think nothing of spending ten times that amount on acquiring something for ourselves or our family.
This is not meant to bring you to condemnation, dear reader, but to encourage you to examine yourself. Perhaps there is an area where God has been dealing with you (whether it involves finances or something else), but you have been saying, "Not yet, God. Not yet." I plead with you to say "Yes" to God, for anything else will result in dissatisfaction in the temple of your heart.
Will there be a "cost" to saying "Yes" to God? Probably. Will it be easy to do what He has asked you to do? Probably not. The purpose of difficulties, of trials, is to strengthen one's faith and reliance on the Lord. It is not an excuse to say "Not yet" or, worse yet, to say "No" to God.
What this has to do with weight loss: When I talk to someone who is experiencing frustration in their weight-loss journey (and even when I talk to myself about the same thing), almost every time, when it comes down to it, the issue is delayed obedience to what one knows one should be doing. As in everything, delayed obedience is disobedience. One cannot expect to see the scale show a lower number if one is not willing to follow the diet and exercise plan one has decided on. The result is frustration and a waste of time. When the Lord gives you a nudge about the problem area (and He will), pay attention and make obedience a priority. You'll be glad you did.
Confession:
I examine my heart, to see if there are things that God has asked me to do, that I have left undone. I turn every "Not yet, God" into "Yes, Lord."
Blessings,
Mary
"Don't tell God how big your storm is; tell your storm how BIG your God is!"
ObesityHelp Support Group Leader and Support Group Coach
ObesityHelp Support Group Leader and Support Group Coach
Most Active
Recent Topics
I am new to this forum and wanted to know if anyone can give me advice,
Stacy B. · 8 replies · 961 views
Stacy B. · 8 replies · 961 views
