Obedience, the Beginning of Blessing
July 25
All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 28:2
In his position as usher, Dave greeted people as they arrived for church each Sunday. He enjoyed being the first person they saw at church. A dear woman named Lucile approached. She smiled, and with tears in her eyes she pressed something into his hand. She beamed, saying, “You bless me so much! Your smile brightens my day!” Then she added, “I’m not sure why God wanted me to give you this, but I knew I had to obey. Obedience is the beginning of blessing you know!”
Dave felt a little uncomfortable taking her gift. But, he’d learned not to rob someone of a blessing. So he smiled and said, “Thank you, Lucile! You brighten mine as well.” And with that she went into the sanctuary.
Following the service Dave walked into the pastor’s office intending to say ‘no’ to the pastor’s offer of the position as ‘Head Usher’. If he took the position he would be responsible for overseeing some twenty ushers, setting schedules, and securing the money that came through the church each week. He just didn’t feel he had enough time to do the job right. But for some inexplicable reason, when he walked into the office the word ‘yes’ came out instead ‘no’. That’s when Lucile’s words came back to him. Okay, Lord. If it’s obedience You want, it’s obedience You get, he said silently.
Since that day, God has poured blessing after blessing into and through Dave, and somehow time has never been an issue. His obedience has led to an ongoing blessing that has never ended.
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In this fast-paced society, with our lives full, and time a precious commodity, it’s difficult to say yes when God asks for our time and skills. In our mind it would be easier to blow Him off.
But the truth is, if it is God who is asking, He will equip us, and provide the time necessary to serve. He’s asking for a leap of faith. He’s trying to teach us that Lucile is right; obedience is the beginning of blessing.
Prayer
“When You call, Lord, may I always say yes, knowing You will provide the time and energy needed to serve others in Your Name, Amen.”
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