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Posts Tagged ‘obedience’

Perseverance

Posted in Faith, God's Authors, intentional living, Perseverance, Reach Out to Live Out, tagged , , , , , on July 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

This month flew by and our summer right along with it. :)

Last month, God taught me to walk with an eyes-wide-open approach, ever-alert to the open doors He provided. This month He’s been teaching me perseverance. I’m a doer by nature, and I like to see results, but walking by faith means obeying even if we never see the why or what. It means giving, expecting nothing in return, loving even when our love is spurned, and committing to a life of prayer even if it feels our prayers amount to naught.

It means clinging tight to God’s promise that tells us our work in the Lord will be rewarded. The ultimate reward, I believe, will be seeing men and women gathered at the throne of God, having crossed over from spiritual death to life. But as we continue to share God’s love with others, we need to remember, each person reaches that bridge at a different bend. Only God knows when. All we can do is obey with full, faith-filled, love-saturated surrender, leaving the rest to Him.

Virginia Hamlin’s story, Transformed by Love, touched me deeply. Watching the same homeless men and women come in and out of Taking it to Streets every Wednesday and Friday, I can easily become discouraged. (You may remember the post I wrote about this very thing the previous Saturday. You can read it here.) But Virginia reminded me to keep moving forward, to keep loving, to keep serving, because we never know when our Melodie will arrive.

“My husband and I were involved in our church’s compassion ministry for over five years from 2002-2007.

We helped prepare 100 meals each Sunday to feed the homeless in a local park. (We enlisted the help of other s to serve and sometimes play worship.) My husband would give a message and then we would break bread with the homeless. Yes, we would sit down at the picnic tables and get to know people. It was during one of those times that I was inexplicably drawn to a woman, Melodie, who was seated alone. We only talked briefly, but I knew God had ordained the meeting. I invited her to our home Bible study and ….” (Read the rest here.)

In Are You in Over Your Head, Katie Ganshert’s post reminded me it isn’t about me–my abilities, talents, or resources. Instead, it’s about the awesome, all-powerful God standing behind me. Watch her vlog here.

Tanya Eavenson reminded me to love without an agenda–unconditionally, with no strings attached. This is a hard one. We all want to receive this kind of love from others, but oh, it’s so hard to give out! Unconditional love–the kind God shows us–says, “I love you even if you never love me in return.” It’s a love exemplified in Christ who, while we were yet sinners, while we spurned Him, rebelled against Him, turned our back to Him, He died for us.

“The Bible clearly states in James, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them,  ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” But what happens when the poor aren’t responsive to your help?

I’ve recently been faced with situations like this. How do you share the love of Christ with a man who’d rather live in the woods and give his every last cent to his addiction? Or the woman who would rather sell herself to prostitution instead of receiving help to start over?

Do I give up?” (Read the rest here.)

I’d love to hear from you. What reach out story impacted you most and why? What lessons has God been showing you this month? Is there a loved one you’ve been praying for, reaching out to, for decades? In what ways has God encouraged you to keep pressing on? Tell us about it!

I also want to give a final shout out to my July Reach Out donors:

Elaine Marie Cooper with the Road to Deer Runand the Promise of Deer Run, Sandra Robbins with Shattered Identity, Katie Ganshert with Wildflowers From Winter, JoAnn Durgin with Awakening, and Ann Lee Miller with Kicking Eternity. 

Do you have a Reach Out story to share? Send it to me at jenniferaslattery(at)gmail(dot)com.

Authors, agents, and publishers, if you or one of your authors/clients would like to donate a book to one of the Reach Out gift baskets, shoot me an email at the above address.

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Who Won? You Choose!

Posted in compassion, God's Authors, intentional living, Reach Out to Live Out, tagged , , , , , on May 28, 2012 | 2 Comments »

This month has really flown by. I hope you’ve enjoyed each Reach Out to Live Out story shared here. Have they stirred your thinking? Encouraged you to look for ways to reach out with the love of Christ? I’d love to read about how each one impacted you.

I think my favorite was “Head Down” by Nichole Parks. I keep my head down way too often when God says, “Look up and around! Can’t you see my hurting child whom I’ve intentionally placed in your path?”

Here’s a snippet:

“Our community college will accept anybody. I’ve seen the druggies, heard the potty-mouths, and looked away from the risqué. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s keep your head down. Considering we’re approaching finals, I’d say the strategy has worked.” Read the rest here.

As a writer, I also enjoyed Margaret Daley’s story, Fiction That Reaches Into Prison Cells.

“When a woman who worked at a Florida female prison helping the inmates contacted me, I was surprised and excited about the prospects of the outreach for my book. She’d read my Love Inspired, Second Chance Family, and was interested in using that story with the women. Second Chance Family dealt with abuse and some of the women she worked with had gone through it.”

You can read the rest here.

Margaret’s story reminded me I never know how God will use my obedience. I’ve found, His ways truly are well beyond mine, and He’s able to multiply blessings, turning a novel into a conduit of healing, an email into a powerful touch of grace. Sometimes I see the results, other times I must proceed in faith, knowing He has a glorious reason for every command He gives.

Elaine Cooper’s story, Pushing Past Our Comfort Zones, reminded me not to get stuck in a “serving routine.” While it’s true, God wants us to serve in our areas of giftedness, He still expects us to serve “where needed,” maintaining a “get ‘er done” attitude.

Here’s a blip of Elaine’s story:

“Let me be honest— I am not the greatest cook in the world. Thoughts of potlucks at church and Bible study nearly send me into an anxiety attack. I always imagine kindly Christians munching into my culinary creation and assuring me how good it is…until they turn around and spit it into their napkin, hoping not to be noticed! Now, I have never seen that happen, but it is always my fear. Cooking has never been easy for me.”

Read the rest here.

What did you glean from this month’s stories? How did they impact your day? I’d love to read all about it.

I’d also love to know what you’re doing–at your job, in your neighborhood, your city, through texts or emails–to share Christ’s love with a hurting world.

Yesterday at church, the worship leader made an awesome statement. He reminded us it isn’t “Christian vs. the world” but instead, “Christians for the world.” Stop and think about this for a moment.  A long moment. :) Then ask yourself: How can I tear down barriers and build bridges today?

Come back Wednesday to see who won our gift basket and book give-away! (Mary Preston, please email me at jenniferaslattery(at)gmail(dot)com. You won the April book give-away, and I need your address. :) )

Many thanks to May’s generous donors!

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Keep Rowing

Posted in God's Authors, intentional living, Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on July 15, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Do you ever feel like you’re climbing an uphill battle? Like you slip back with every step you take forward? Sometimes, when we find ourselves fighting against the wind, we begin to question God. Surely if He was in it, everything would go well. We’d see instant results. Doors would fly open.

Perhaps…but what if the doors are opening in areas where you don’t see it? What if God’s doing a work you’ll never know about? Or perhaps one that you won’t hear about for years, maybe even decades.

We’ll never know, and in our limited vision, there’s much we’ll never see. Many saving-faith commitments we’ll never hear. That’s where trust, surrender, and obedience comes in. Conditional surrender says, “I’ll follow You as long as I see results.” Unconditional, total surrender–the kind God uses–says, “I’ll follow You no matter what. I’ll trust You no matter what. I’ll serve you, laying my life down moment-by-moment, even if it feels like I’m grasping at the wind because I know You are sovereign and loving and true.”

Loved this quote from Eddie Snipes, I Called Him Dancer, (another novel that demonstrates what it means to live out the gospel message). “Don’t ask the Lord to bless your plans. Seek Him alone, and walk in the works He established for you to walk in. He may ask you to row against the wind, but that’s okay. Row with faithfulness and obedience.”

Psalm 32:8-11 (NIV)

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
   I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
   which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
   or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
   but the LORD’s unfailing love
   surrounds the one who trusts in him.

 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
   sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Verse one is God’s promise to us. He will guide us, in love. He says His eye is on you. Stop and think about that for a moment–God’s watching you right now. Not to condemn or annihilate you or catch you in some sin. He’s watching you with the love of a Father. The Creator of the universe is thinking of you, right at this very moment.

And He only wants what’s best for you. He longs to guide you in what’s best for you, and He wants you to follow. Don’t resist His lead. Follow whole-heartedly, knowing He guides you in love. In fact, His love surrounds you, like a snuggly blanket when you are sad and lonely, like an impenetrable barrier when forces of evil come against you, and like a tender hand that carries you when you are weak.

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God, What Do You Want Me to Do???

Posted in intentional living, Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on July 5, 2011 | 4 Comments »

My post title appears to be one of the most frequently asked questions in Christianity. It’s an important question and one that should always be on the forefront of our minds every moment of every day, but if we’re not careful, this question can render us ineffective. I think it’s easy to slip into perpetual spin mode. If we spend more time seeking God’s will than doing it, before long, spiders will spin cobwebs in our hair.

And most of the time, when we ask that question, we’re not looking for an answer to the here and now. We want the ten-year plan. We want reassurance that God will use us, or fix us, or fix the problem we’re dealing with. But as I’ve said before, I think God often operates on a “need to know” basis. Meaning, He shows us step B once we’ve completed step A. Why? Because He’s more concerned with the condition of our heart than our location on the journey. He wants us completely dependent on Him and knows if He gives us too much information, we’ll drop His hand and take off running.

So what do we do if we’re in the waiting stage? We draw near, pray, trust and obey.

Draw Near

We make it a habit to spend time with God, and in so doing, learn to distinguish His voice. We grow accustomed to His presence, allowing His Spirit to do whatever is necessary in us to bring about His good, pleasing and perfect will.

We Pray

We make our communication with God our top priority, but we don’t pray just for ourselves. We pray for others and God’s kingdom. As we pray that God’s kingdom be expanded, God aligns our hearts to His kingdom goal.

We trust

Throughout Scripture God has promised to lead, guide, transform, and equip us. The question then is not, will God show us His will, but instead, will we obey it when He does?

Which leads me to my final step–We obey

I believe we know God’s will more than we care to admit. We want the big plan–the plan to lead a county-wide outreach event or a promotion or some other “one day” event, but God wants us to obey now, in the little things. And when we are faithful with the little things–showing respect, love and patience to our spouses; spending time daily in God’s Word; serving in areas we may never receive praise for–God begins to expand our boundaries and our reach. But never so we can become inflated. In fact, whenever our pride begins to grow, we can probably count on a dose of pride-dashing humility because pride gets in the way. Effectiveness comes from full, humble, surrender.

I’m going to leave you with a passage from Psalm. As you read it, lay your angst aside and go forward with your day, knowing God will guide you in His perfect timing. In fact, He is guiding you now. Make sure you don’t get so focused on the what-ifs of tomorrow you lose sight on what God is doing today.

And, as you ask God to show you His will, ask yourself this question: am I ready to obey without question or hesitation, no matter what God asks me to do? Because God doesn’t need more commandos. He needs more Toto’s.

Psalm 25 (NIV–emphasis, shown in parenthesis, mine)

In you, (not our schedule, ten-year plan or bank account) LORD my God,
   I put my trust.

 2 I trust in you; (If we truly trust God to do what He says He’ll do and be who He says He is, then what is there to fear or worry about?)
   do not let me be put to shame,
   nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
   will ever be put to shame, (I believe this may be because as you draw near to God, He removes the “I” from us. When we have died to ourselves, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Because really, it’s not about us and as I’ve said before, dead men don’t bleed. )

but shame will come on those
   who are treacherous without cause.

 4 Show me your ways, LORD,
   teach me your paths.

(Notice David asks God to teach him. Each day of our faith walk is like stepping into a giant classroom. As we move closer to God, He molds us and teaches us to do His will as He prepares us to complete the next step in our faith journey. Remember algebra from school? The teacher didn’t show you geometry until you’d mastered the basic steps of algebra. You want to be used by God? Then master what He’s showing you now by living each day in full surrendered obedience.)

5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long. (Guide me–walk beside me, step by step, moment by moment.)
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
   for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
   and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
   for you, LORD, are good.

 8 Good and upright is the LORD;
   therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
   and teaches them his way.

(Because we know God is good, loving, faithful, and true, we can relax and enjoy the journey knowing He will guide us and teach us. Our job is to draw near and obey. His job is to teach, guide, and bless His plan.)

10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
   toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, LORD,
   forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

 12 Who, then, are those who fear the LORD?
   He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
   and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; (This is one of the most beautiful passages in Scripture. It speaks of intimacy.) he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
   for only he will release my feet from the snare. (This verse makes me think of a blind man trusting in his guide for each step, so in tune to his guide’s footsteps, the man senses the slightest turn. May we be so in tune with God, ever looking to Him, we allow Him to direct each and every step of our journey.)

 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart
   and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress 
   and take away all my sins.  (This is the third time David asked God to forgive, forget, or remove his sins. Sin is the greatest barrier to hearing God’s will. If we want to hear God and live in intimate fellowship with Him, we must be diligent about removing all sin from our life.) 
19 See how numerous are my enemies
   and how fiercely they hate me!

 20 Guard my life and rescue me;
   do not let me be put to shame,
   for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
   because my hope, LORD, is in you.

 22 Deliver Israel, O God,
   from all their troubles!

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Who Are You Trying to Please

Posted in Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on November 17, 2010 | 2 Comments »

When I was younger, I went through a rebellious stage. Which wasn’t altogether bad. Okay, so it was about 95% bad, but 5% of my stubbornness was good–the part that didn’t get caught up in what others thought. Although I’m not sure if I ever really broke away from that mold. I just convinced myself I had.

Now that I’m an adult, I’m wiser, right? More conscientious? Socially alert?

Each week, there are numerous posts  you never see. I’ll write them up, proofread them, then hit delete. Because you might get offended, or I might say something wrong, or perhaps you’ll misunderstand what I was trying to say. Or even worse, I’ll look bad. Although I think by now you all know how weird I am. So what do I think I’m hiding and what do I have to prove? Can I really live a surrendered life and please man–you–at the same time. (Ah, you didn’t know you held such power, did you?)

I told you about my pity party the other day. Which resulted in two days of nothing, for the most part. I did a few things, like catch up on housework, but most of my day was spent in retreat. I set my responsibilities aside and let God wrap His loving, protective, accepting, strengthening arms around me. I’m a music gal and normally feel closest to God when I’m listening to praise music, so I grabbed my iphone with its Pandora app and went for a very, very long walk.

It was just what I needed. It’s funny how spending a few moments with the lover of your soul can cut through all the garbage. In my tired, somewhat discouraged state, God was there. His love hadn’t waned. And truly, He didn’t care about what I produced. He wanted my heart, and He reminded me that He wasn’t as concerned with the product as He was with the process–my obedience and continual growth in Him.

This freed me. It took fear of failure off the table and brought enjoyment back to my day, and my writing.

One song really resonated with me. Hanging On by Britt Nicole.

I’m going to post the words here. Read them. Contemplate them. Ask yourself this question: Are you hanging on to the Words of God or have you allowed other distracting noise to get in the way? Who are you trying to please? If it’s God, then there’s nothing to fear. He asks for one thing: surrendered obedience.

You see my anxious heart
You see what I am feeling
And when I fall apart
You are there to hold me
How great Your love for me
Now I see what You’re thinking
You say I’m beautiful
Your voice is my healing

Without You I just can’t get by
So I’m

Hanging on to every word You speak
‘Cause it’s all that I need
Hanging on to every word You say
To light up my way
Even every little whisper I’m
Hanging on as if it were my life
I’m hanging on

And when the darkness falls
I can’t see what’s before me
Your voice is like the dawn
Always there to guide me

Without You I just can’t get by
So I’m

Hanging on to every word You speak
‘Cause it’s all that I need
Hanging on to every word You say
To light up my way
Even every little whisper I’m
Hanging on as if it were my life
I’m hanging on

You know me better than I know myself
Better than anybody else
Your love is sounding like a ringing bell
Oh, oh, I won’t let go

Hanging on to every word You speak
‘Cause it’s all that I need
Hanging on to every word You say
To light up my way
Even every little whisper I’m
Hanging on as if it were my life
I’m hanging on (Lyrics taken from elyrics.net)

Are you tired? Feeling like you don’t quite measure up? Then close your ears to the noise and let your Heavenly Father speak words of love over you. He’s only a prayer away.

I’m tucking the following verse in my pocket. It’ll be my battle cry, my ever-present reminder, until self, and my desire to please man, is totally defeated.

2 Timothy 2:24 “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer.”

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The Never-ending Action-Reaction Cycle of Life

Posted in Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on November 3, 2010 | 2 Comments »

Life has a way of spinning Isaac Newton’s third law of motion on its head. Physics tells us that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Life has an equal, and often duplicate reaction. No one lives in a vacuum and everything we do has an impact, either positive or negative, on others. And yet, how we act and react is completely up to us.

Yesterday I had to complete a conflict resolution case study for a class I’m taking. Using personal experiences. To be honest, I’m waiting to get an “I’m concerned about you, Jennifer,” email from my professor. Funny how the spotlight on past behaviors cuts through the self-justifying fluff we spoon ourselves every day. “If only he hadn’t…” “But I deserved…” My all time favorite? “I can’t help it!”

Galatians 5:22-23 and 2 Timothy 1:7 says differently:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

and

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

According to the Bible, if we have given our lives to Christ, we’ve been given everything we need to live lives pleasing to Him.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

So no more excuses! (And yes, I’m talking to myself!)

I’ve been camped out in Genesis lately, studying the life of Joseph, and I have a feeling I’ll be staying here for quite some time. The story of Joseph’s life is like a big, multi-layered onion. Or more accurately, like a multi-eyed potato will thousands of off-shooting, intertwining roots. Talk about a dysfunctional family. His father, Jacob, was a deceiver, (which is what his name means) as was his grandfather Laban. His mother and aunt (both married to Jacob) were in constant conflict, a conflict they dragged the entire family into. Joseph’s brothers were violent, reactive, and consumed with jealousy. And in the midst of it all was little Joseph–the boy with the fancy robe.

Joseph was anything but perfect. From what I read, it appears he suffered from a heavy dose of pride, but the one thing he had going for him? Somehow he managed to stay above the fray. Mound upon mound of manure was hurled his way, but no  matter how many commentaries or study guides I read, I can’t find a single instance of him hurling back. I think this is because he kept his eyes upward–on God–and not on the manure pile. In the end, his full surrender led to glory–glory to God and glory for himself. Not to mention the saving of a few thousand lives (if not millions. I really don’t know how many people reaped the benefits of Joseph’s obedience. If you have a round about figure, I’d love to hear about it. Just shoot me an email.)

Life is one giant chain reaction. Ever choice we make has consequences, either positive or negative. We act, our spouse reacts, then we react on their reaction.

And every day, we have an opportunity to stand above the fray, to tap into that spiritual powerhouse Christ has given us as believers, and turn our eyes upward instead of on the stinking manure pile. We have the power to do it. The only question is, will we? Is Christ’s death worth our full obedience, even when our pride is at stake? Because that’s normally what it boils down to–pride. But God opposes the proud, remember?

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Are You a Giver or a Taker?

Posted in Let's Get Real, tagged , , , , on September 29, 2010 | 5 Comments »

I’ve heard it said there are two types of people in this world–givers and takers. If you’ve read many of my posts, you probably know my husband is a giver. He’ll give and give and give, without complaining, expecting nothing in return. If I’m not careful, it can be easy to take advantage of this situation. Combine his sacrificial nature with my self-absorbed, goal-oriented side and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Which is why I keep post-it notes sprinkled around the house, on mirrors, taped to the coffee pot, or any other surface my eyes might scan in a given day. These constant love-reminders help balance out my perpetual self-love.

If you’ve got a giving friend, you know exactly what I’m talking about. We all love it when others are focused on us, right? Because that’s what we’re focused on, too. It’s natural. And it’s easy to get swept away in the its-all-about-me-tide. Unless you determine to do otherwise. Because chances are the friend who keeps on giving has a reciprocal need in there somewhere. And as his/her friend, its your job to find it. But that’s going to take work. You’re gonna have to u-turn once in awhile, learn to listen, ask open-ended questions. Whatever. Just take your eyes off yourself. (Yes, I’m talking to me. It’s not about me. It’s not about me. It’s not about me. There, I think I got it.)

I’ve also had enough takers in my life to know the feeling of being a well-trodden doormat. It hurts, especially when the relationship is one-sided. Authentic friendships are mutual. Reciprocal. Built on give-and-take.

Which means those lone rangers out saving the world need to learn to take a little, too. One night (a few years back) I was sitting in the office watching our neighbor mow her lawn while her two young kids cried for her attention. My husband was watching a ball game. My parentally-allergic daughter was playing with friends. I had two hours, maybe more, to myself. And yet, I remembered those times of crying children, when taking a shower felt like a luxury.  So what’d I do? Offer a quick prayer on my neighbor’s behalf then go my merry way? No, I jumped up, ran out the door, and offered to help.

And she politely declined, of course.

So I offered again. To be honest, I felt a bit pushy. Even kind of embarrassed, but I believed God wanted to love this woman through me so I determined to be obedient to God, regardless of the results.

She declined again.

It was hot. Like skin-blistering, lung-stifling hot. Her kids were crying. Exhaustion was etched across her sweaty, blotchy face. Her yard was huge and mowing it would take at least an hour, probably two. Two precious Mommy-Kiddo-hours she’d never get back. (Both her and her husband worked long hours as they struggled to make ends meet and juggle all the demands that came with raising a family in today’s dual-income world.)

So what’d I do? Walk away with a “Well, I tried”, self-righteous pat on the back? Oh, how we love those moments—when God calls us to do something but we find the convenient loop-hole.

No. I lovingly, but firmly, maneuvered my way between her and the lawn mower and began to mow. At first she just kind of stood there, eyes wide, face flashing between gratitude and mortification so fast it looked like a silent film on fast forward. But within ten minutes she was playing with her kids, smiles on all their faces. And I was beaming. By allowing me to be obedient to God, she also allowed me to experience God’s love as it poured through me to her. It feels great when God loves on us, but that’s nothing compared to the heart-bulging, giggle-producing pleasure of experiencing God’s love for someone else first-hand.

So again I ask, are you a giver or a taker? And how might you go about striking a God-intended balance?

Romans 12:9-13 “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are needy, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” (NLT)

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Walking With Intentional Blinders On

Posted in Let's Get Real, tagged , , , , on August 21, 2010 | 4 Comments »

I’m not sure when this started or where it came from, but somehow, over the years, my view of obedience has become tainted. I’ve heard so much about open and closed doors and letting go and letting God that I’ve developed this idea that obedience is going to be easy. And successful. But when I read the Bible, that’s not what I see. Look at how many doors Moses had slammed in his face. His own people opposed him, Pharaoh ridiculed him, and the harder Moses pushed, the worse things became. At least initially. And what about Joshua and his encounter with Jericho? He didn’t just have a closed door. He had an entire, seemingly impenetrable, wall standing in his way. Then there’s the prophet Elijah. His life wasn’t exactly a bed of roses. At times, he even thought his work was pointless. But he kept on. As did Isaiah, John the Baptist, Stephen, and Paul, just to name a few.

Paul has become the super hero of Christianity. We like to talk about all the great things he did for Christ, about all the churches he planted, and how faithfully he suffered for God. But if we really stop and study his life, we won’t see very many open doors. That’s not to say his work didn’t produce amazing results. What I’m saying is his road to obedience wasn’t this peaceful, well-paved, flower-lined path we’d like to see in our own lives. It was fraught with intense, life-threatening obstacles at every turn. Hop on over to Acts and tell me you don’t see all the heavily fastened dead bolts–prison, beating, slander, ridicule. (Pay special attention to Acts 20:22-28) Paul didn’t wait for a nice, wide, open door. He looked for those tiny cracks then worked, with God’s leading, to wiggle himself in. Not because he was forging his own way with single-minded stubbornness, but because he knew-knew-knew God’s will and focused on obedience with unwavering determination. Walking with intentional blinders on, he kept his eyes on his Savior and not the obstacles all around him.

About ten years ago the church my husband and I belonged to held a vision summit and I was invited. I don’t remember what it was called, but basically, it was a time to listen to God, determine your unique calling, and zero in on the barriers you allowed to get in the way of obedience. The seminar’s focus Bible passage was the story of Joshua and Jericho. The question they asked: What is your Jericho?

It was an amazing experience! And while I was there, I grew increasingly excited about the idea of doing a community Easter event. It struck me as odd that we had a halloween event (as a community outreach) but did nothing community oriented for the biggest holiday in the Christian faith–the one time of year where people actually expect to hear the gospel. So I went to the children’s staff bubbling with excitement. And I had a plan. A big plan, but a plan. What if we had an Easter egg hunt, along with a drama, at a local park.

Slam went the door. “No, that won’t work. We’ve never done that before.”

Woah, wait a minute. You just invited me to an event focused on identifying my Jericho, and you’re adding another brick to the wall?

So I kept talking, and nudging, and praying. (I was way too spiritually immature to see the initial no as a closed door. grin.)

The result? That first year, we had our Easter party at one of the busiest parks in Rancho Cucamonga, California. If I remember correctly, 150 children participated, and many more meandered towards the side-lines. Other adults sat along the outer edges of the stage area to watch the youth perform a drama then later, listen to an easter bunny tell the gospel. And I was swamped with help. We had a craft team, a game team, live music and oodles of bright-eyed, giggling children connecting the name Jesus with love, fun, and community. It was so successful, we did it again the following year.

I’m not saying that closed doors don’t exist or that we shouldn’t pause for re-evaluation every once in awhile. What I am saying is if you know in your heart of hearts God is calling you to do something, don’t let anything get in they way. And don’t expect the obedience journey to be easy. When doubts and obstacles arise, put your blinders on and withdraw within, closing off everything else until that still, small voice shines through. Then, once God has confirmed or perhaps reaffirmed your route, walk forward in confidence.

Some questions to ponder:

1) What’s your Jericho?

2) How determined are you to fulfilling God’s plan for your life?

3) When in the past have you been quick to jump on the “closed door” bandwagon and what was the result?

And now listen to this song and remember, God’s not asking you to change the world. He’s just asking you to obey. The results are up to Him.

Ginny Owens–I am (By the way, Ginny Owens is blind. Imagine all the obstacles and closed doors she had to overcome through out her life to create this beautiful song.)

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