Last Friday, I took my daughter, Peyton, to the doctor for a quick visit. While we were there, the doctor casually suggested that she was the right age to get a preventive immunization. Now, as you can imagine, Peyton isn’t one to just go giddy with excitement at the prospect of a needle being stuck in her arm. But after the doctor went over the pros and cons, Peyton bravely said that she might as well do it. (Insert shocked-mom-face here.) The doctor said, “Awesome! I’ll just grab the nurse and we’ll get that taken care of!” to which Peyton replied, “Wait!? You mean I have to do it NOW?!?!”
As I laughed at Peyton’s reaction to an impending needle, I couldn’t help but think about how I react in the very same way to God all the time! He tells me what to do and I say, “Wait, what, NOW?!”
Psalm 119:60 (NASB) says, I hastened and did not delay to keep Your commandments.
This is much easier said than done. Very often, we ask God to show us a path He wants us to take. It could be a physical move, a relationship He wants us to end, or a friendship He wants us to begin. Maybe it’s a class he wants you to lead or an article He’s asked you to write. We hear Jesus tell us to get started, and we humbly say ok but then, we wait. We hear him. We know it’s good. But we get consumed with listening and looking for the answer. We forget that there is a second part to the equation. We’re supposed to “DO”.
That’s the part of the blessing I miss most often. I’ll hear Him and then He has to chasten me like I do my own kids…’I meant now, Erin. Not later.’ For me, the call was women’s ministry. Jesus has always given me a desire to help women. Time after time, He’s opened up opportunities for me to lead a bible study or mentor someone. But when it came to being all in and making a full time ministry of it, I ignored the call. It wasn’t until he put me in front of a group of women who said, ‘Don’t you hear Him saying this is what you’re supposed to do?!’ that I realized he meant “now”.
That’s also the part of the blessing that’s usually the most satisfying. The “doing” is what allows us to show Jesus to others. It lets us feel His presence in our work, and it gives us a satisfaction in knowing we’re listening and obeying our Savior. There’s joy in obedience. God loves our desire to do His will, and just like an earthly father who takes pride in his child’s willingness to hear him and obey, God also delights in our eager submission. Psalm 149:4a (NIV)-For the Lord takes delight in His people;
Peyton got her immunization on Friday. She recognized that the doctor didn’t mean to hurt her but rather help her by saying it was needed now. When it was all said and done, she realized the sting wasn’t nearly as painful as she thought it would be, and we ended up having a good laugh at her initial panic and reaction. I pray that our reaction to Jesus is less of ‘YOU MEAN NOW?!’ And more of a “Your will, not mine, Lord, for You see the picture far greater than I could ever see.”
Have you ever had a ‘NOW?!’ moment? Let us know in the comments how God directed your heart during that time.
Iron Porch 