Your Quiet Obedience Matters - Your Nightly Prayer - March 11th
Your Quiet Obedience Matters
Your Nightly Prayer
by Clarence Haynes Jr.
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord." - Colossians 3:23
SOMETHING TO PONDER
When I was in college, I took a job delivering newspapers (I realize some of you may have to Google to know what that is). This required me to get up at 3 am to pick up the newspapers and make sure they were delivered by 6 am before people went to work. My route covered the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and included a mix of private houses and many apartment buildings. One Sunday morning I walked into an apartment building and as I was approaching the elevator, I felt a gentle whisper in my heart saying, do not take the elevator, use the stairs. I was a little tired and didn’t feel like walking up four flights of stairs, so I ignored the whisper and got on the elevator.
When we reached the fourth floor, the elevator door opened, and I noticed the carriage was not fully aligned with the floor. I took note, got off, and delivered the newspapers. When it came time to go back down, that same warning arose in my heart: don’t take the elevator, take the stairs. Again, I ignored that prompting and took the elevator down. Unfortunately, this tim,e when I got to the first floor, the door would not open, and I was stuck. Not only was it stuck, but it was early Sunday morning, and no one was leaving their house to go to work. You are probably thinking, Why not just take out your cell phone and call for help? I would have gladly done that, but there was just one minor (probably major) problem. Cell phones had not been invented yet. So for the next two to three hours, I sat in the elevator waiting for someone to come by so I could ask for help. So much for not listening.
Small obedience yields big results.
While we often think of obedience in the big things, it’s your obedience in the little things that makes the difference. One area where small obedience matters is how we work. Colossians instructs to work at everything you do with all your heart as if you are working for the Lord. However, if we are honest, is this something we always do? Do you listen to that inner voice that challenges you to do your best and convicts you when you know you are not? Or, do you respond as I did: ignore it and get in the elevator?
There is something amazing about little obedience. We may never know what we would have avoided if we had only obeyed. In my case, I would never have known the elevator would get stuck had I taken the stairs. Yet, if I had obeyed, I would have saved myself the aggravation of being stuck for 3 hours. You will not always know or see the results of your obedience or what it saved you from, but whether you do or you don’t, obey anyway.
The wonderful thing about obedience is that God does not hold you responsible for the outcome. He holds you accountable only for your actions. You may obey God, work hard, do your best, and still not get the promotion or possibly even lose your job. That’s okay. You can hold your head high, knowing that in everything you did, you did your very best. As long as that is true, that is all God requires of us.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Lord,
Thank you for leading and speaking. I pray you would give me an ear to hear when you are asking me to do something. Help me not just to hear but to obey. As I approach work and life, let me do my best in everything, recognizing I am working for you first. Help me give my best effort even when I am tired, frustrated, and sometimes unmotivated. Let my simple obedience be the driving force of everything I do, so that I may live in a way that is pleasing to you. Let me continue to obey, even if the consequences don’t turn out the way I think they should. Even in these moments, remind me to trust that you will always honor those who obey you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Your obedience is to God first, and everyone else benefits from it.
2. If you have obeyed God, then that’s all that matters, regardless of the consequences.
3. “Obey God and leave the consequences to him.” - Charles Stanley
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/aldomurillo
He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.
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