Radical obedience. It’s something we read about in the great stories of the Bible. People who lived ordinary lives, then God showed up and asked them to do something…well,…pretty darn radical. Really Radical. And, they actually obeyed! Stories like:
* Daniel in the Lions Den (Daniel 6)
* Queen Esther saving the Jewish people from persecution (Esther 1-6)
* Moses and the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14)
* Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3)
* Abraham willingness to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22)
So let me ask you something. Do you think radical obedience is still required of us today? Now, come on, it is the 21st-century and surely that type of obedience was just for people whose stories made it into the Bible, right? Hmm…maybe not.
This morning I was reading through some Bible verses and came across these two that really grabbed my heart and made me question myself, am I choosing to live in radical obedience or convenient obedience?
As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:27-28
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23
Let’s not kid ourselves – radical obedience is hard. It’s not for the whimpy or weak at heart. It takes bold courage and faith to step out and do something radical for God. That’s why I think many of us don’t do it. Radical obedience living requires us to have a brave heart, determined perseverance, and a soul (mind, will, emotions) focused on the Lord.
Yet, based on the verses above, radical obedience is totally worth it! I don’t know about you but I want God to bless me. More importantly, I want God to love me and make His home within my heart.
If delayed obedience or convenient obedience (I’ll get to that when I can, Lord) keeps me from experiencing God’s lavished blessings and abundant love, then I need to rethink what’s really important in life. My comfort or my relationship with God?
God has been challenging me over the summer to do something radical. Okay, it’s nothing like stepping into a fiery blaze, hanging out with a bunch of lions, or sacrificing one of my kids (although there have been days….). My area of obedience has to do with something near and dear to my heart. Sleep. Oh, how I l-o-v-e to sleep!
You see, God has been challenging me to get up every morning at 6:00am, while it’s still dark outside, and everyone in my house is asleep. Why? So that I can have my quiet time with Him.
Can I just tell you that it’s been challenging for me. Real challenging! After all, it’s summer (yes, for two more days) and the only time I don’t have to get up early, since school’s out and we are in slow-pace mode.
But, every night, as I crawl into bed, I remind myself that I have a 6:00am date with the God of the universe. How cool is that? If He’s taking time out to meet with me, then surely I can get my butt out of bed and meet with Him. Right? Absolutely.
I’m going to be completely honest here. There were days that I hit the snooze button…again and again. There were mornings that I woke up, lingered under the covers, and fell back to sleep. There were even mornings that I forgot to set my alarm and slept until 9:ooish. But, the Holy Spirit kept prompting me, every night as I pulled those comfy covers up over my shoulders.
I’d run through the plan in my mind, as I drifted off to sleep…
* Don’t forget to set your alarm
*Our time together will be so worth it
*When the alarm goes off, don’t linger. Just get up!
*Holy Spirit, if I sleep through the alarm, please wake me.
That went on for weeks but now, I’m usually stirring before the alarm goes off. In fact, I can’t wait to tip-toe downstairs, while everyone’s asleep, to make myself a quick latte, grab my Bible/journal/pen, and begin my date with God. It’s become my absolute f-a-v-o-r-i-t-e part of my day.
Have there been blessings because of the obedience? YES! Our time together has been amazing! God’s showed me hidden treasures in Scripture that I never knew were there. He’s never stood me up or showed up late. And, God continues to show me just how much He loves me, not only during “date” but even throughout the day.
Radical Obedience. It’s not easy but it’s sooo worth it!
By the way, here is a picture I took one morning this week, as the sun was coming up over the horizon. I was on my date with God and this was the gift He gave me:
Now it’s your turn…
Today’s Question: What about you? Is God challenging you to be radically obedient? If so, what area of your life is He stretching, to draw you closer to Him? If you’re walking in radical obedience already, what are the blessings that you have experienced so far?
Be sure to leave your comments below so we can talk about it. And, if your new to my blog, I’d love for you to subscribe (see form above on the right) so that we can stay connected. I can’t wait to hear what God is doing in your life today!
Becky says
I love your blog! Everyday is a gift from God and if we take the time we see is wonderful gifts!
leah says
Becky, thank you for leaving a comment on my blog. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it and you are absolutely right – everyday IS a gift from God! I pray that your gift from Him today is filled with wonderful moments that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Leah
Brenda says
I enjoyed reading your blog today about radical obedience. I loved the gift you received from your morning date with God. What a refreshing way of thinking about spending time alone with God. Thank you and Blessings to you.
leah says
Brenda, I’m so glad you enjoyed reading my blog post today and thank you for taking time to leave a comment. I pray that God blessed you in wonderfully unexpected ways this weekend and that you sense His nearness like never before. Leah
Debi Schuhow says
Awesome! And you didn’t give up even though you didn’t “succeed” right away.
leah says
Hi Debi, I think that’s part of the key…not giving up. The enemy would want us to believe that if we fail once than our chance for succeeding is over with. But, I’m so thankful that God’s mercies are new EVERY morning. He patiently waits for us and is there to encourage us every single day. Leah
Nicole says
Sooooo I’m not a morning person at all….the week this study started was the first back to school week for my 4 kids I decided to get up at 5 and meet with God…..and WOW he never disappoints, I feel amazed!!! Some morning snooze button gets hit too, but he’s sooooo good? Huh?
leah says
Nicole, I’m so excited to hear that you’ve chosen to meet with God each morning! God will honor your commitment, sweet friend, and has amazing plans in store for you! Oh, how He loves you so. Leah
Sherri Chatman says
Leah, I have been so blessed by reading your blog!!
It has me thinking….am I being radically obedient or is by obedience convenient?
It really has me thinking.
I loved hearing about your sweet time in the mornings with The Lord. and your picture of the sunrise just reminds me of His glories that are new each morning.
thank you for sharing your heart
leah says
Sherri, I’m so glad you are enjoying my blog and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to leave a comment.
I too find it challenging to live in radical obedience because oftentimes stepping out of my comfort zone can be scary. But, God is teaching me that when I do take that step of faith and trust in Him – no matter what the circumstances look like -it’s then that I see His strength and glory revealed in the most amazing ways! Leah
Janet F says
“But, every night, as I crawl into bed, I remind myself that I have a 6:00am date with the God of the universe. How cool is that? If He’s taking time out to meet with me, then surely I can get my butt out of bed and meet with Him. Right? Absolutely.” WOW I never thought of it the way you shared here about having a date with the God of the universe. Love this 🙂 God is challenging me to be obedient in the area of my eating habits. Needing lots of prayer for this!! Thanks for sharing. Love your blog post!!
leah says
Janet, I’m praying for you today – asking God to help you make wise choices when it comes to eating. God challenged me too in this same area years ago. He showed me 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 which really changed the way I thought about myself and how I needed to take care of my body. I hope this same verse inspires you today to honor God by creating healthy eating habits:
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Dana Murphy says
Thank you so much for your blog today!! I love this Bible study and get excited to write in my journal/read the book/read my Bible, but having a job and 2 kids it’s sometimes hard to find the quiet time to just sit down with Him…I recently felt like God was telling me to wake my lazy butt up early and spend that early time with Him…I too have hit snooze, went back to sleep, etc…and my alarm is also set for 6:00 AM! Reading this is my confirmation! I absolutely LOVE how you talk about this time as your “date” with God…no more hitting snooze for me! I wouldn’t dare want to miss out on a date with Him…thank you so much! May God bless you!!
leah says
Dana, I hope your date with God this morning was AMAZING and so much more than you ever expected! He loves you so much, sweet friend, and longs to spend time with you! Leah
Joyce says
God challenges me with this too. If I don’t get up before the kids, I don’t get in my quiet time with him. During the summer it is 7 a.m. but come school (which is next week) it will be back to 6 a.m. It can be difficult but it is always worth it!
leah says
Joyce, I’m praying for you today, asking God to gently encourage you each morning as you get up an hour earlier to be with Him. I know He will bless you in amazing ways because you’ve chosen to be with Him first. Leah