The Tragedy of Disobedience
Theme of the Week: Focused Freedom
Monday, May 26, 2003
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Key Bible Verse: Oh that you would choose life … Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). Bonus Reading:Isaiah 48:17-19
The first funeral I ever conducted was for a beautiful three-year-old. She was the first child born to a couple in our church, and the first grandchild in their extended family. Unfortunately, she was spoiled. While visiting the little girl's home one day, I observed that she loved to ignore her parents' instructions. When they told her to come, she went. When they said "sit down," she stood up. Her parents laughed, finding her behavior cute.
One day their front gate was inadvertently left open. The parents saw their child escaping out of the yard and heading toward the road. To their horror, a car was racing down the street. As she ran out between two parked cars, they both screamed at her to stop and turn back. She paused for a second, looked back at her parents, then gleefully laughed as she turned and ran directly into the path of the oncoming car.
The parents rushed their little girl to the hospital, but she died from her injuries. As a young pastor, this was a profound lesson for me. I realized I must teach God's people not only to recognize His voice but also immediately to obey His voice when they hear it. It is life.
—Henry Blackaby in Hearing God's Voice
My Response: On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd rate my receptivity to God's commands as a ___.
Thought to Apply: The ship that will not obey the helm will have to obey the rocks.
—English proverb
Adapted from Hearing God's Voice (Broadman & Homan, 2002) by permission.
Copyright © 2003 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
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Lord, help me move beyond "have to" to "want to" in relating to Your commands.
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