Finely Scuplted

"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat from the best of the land."
Isaiah 1:19

I have a friend. She is in a word OBEDIENT. When we met the Lord had placed on her heart something much larger than herself, and she in obedience, began what she knew she could not do on her own.

She was recently away on a trip to Ireland where she hoped to step away and hear the Lord's voice and see confirmation that she was doing HIS will. She was desperately trying to "be still" and KNOW God's purpose and His plan.

She shared with me that her daily prayer is this:

You also know my daily prayer-- “Lord, as I commit my work to you,I thank you that you are causing my thoughts, ideas, words, actions, and deeds to be lined up with your will, so that I will be established and have success. I am earnestly seeking His plan. Many are the thoughts in a man’s mind but it is His will that will be established. "

This is from the email that she sent me about what happened on that flight...

"Anyway, after the trip from Ireland to Newark in the middle of the night, a long layover, we got on the plane form Newark toward home, tired. I let the window seat passenger in, took the middle seat and laid my head over on Jim. I fell asleep until we had been in the air for awhile. I woke up thinking about the mission statement that I am trying to squeeze into only a sentence or two for grant-writing. I had an idea and reached for my notebook and began scribbling, paying no attention to the stranger next to me. After a few minutes he handed me his electronic "something or other" over to me. It had a message typed on it.

Keep in mind...he was a complete stranger. The message read:

"Jesus spoke to me. He said He loved you so much and has seen your heart and is well pleased! He said, "I am your God, I AM the Door. I will open the doors that no man will close." The devil would like to destroy you and the dream, but I, the Lord am your God, I am in control. Faint not my child --look not to the left nor to the right but keep your eyes on Me. For I, Jesus Christ have my hands on you. I and only I will direct your path."

I have heard these kinds of things in various sermons, but I KNOW this lady, she is a friend, and I KNOW and BELIEVE with all my heart that God was speaking to her through this man....letting her know that her obedience was noticed by God and to let go of the worries...He securely has it all under control!

After hearing this, I found myself asking am I being obedient? It is certainly not always easy, as any of us with children know. I looked to Romans 12 is a guide to just what obedience looks like.

*Despise evil
*Cling to goodness
*Devote yourself to others
*Treat others with respect
*Never compromise your excitement in the Lord
*Serve the Lord
*Be Joyful
*Be Patient
*Be faithful
*Share with others
*Show hospitality
*Bless those who mistreat you
*Rejoice with others over their good fortune
*Grieve with those who suffer
*Live in harmony with others
*Do not be prideful

These "Living Sacrifices" are obedience. My friend LIVES this! I watch her on a weekly basis and we talk about how GOOD God is and how patient we must be at times...while finding JOY in knowing that HIS WILL is being done.

I was just moved that in God's greatness, HIS bigness that HE took the time to "speak" to my friend and let her know that her obedience was being noticed....GOD noticed.
It was a reminder to me, obedience is something we tend to dismiss or not dwell on, but God notices when we "listen" to what He places on our hearts. That my friends, pleases Him.
~Questions to ponder~
Are there areas of obedience that you struggle with?
What has God placed on your heart that requires a commitment to obedience?

Obedience is never easy. It wasn't when we were children and it isn't easy now. The rewards of obedience have eternal impact and will fill us with a peace that the world can not understand.

You can find me daily over here...trying to 'obey!'