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Mar 13, 2025 18:00pm

What Now?: Obedience

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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.

Obedience

One Thursday afternoon I was cooking lunch before I left to teach at my local pregnancy resource center. In that unexpected moment, God told me that I was going to write devotionals. I don’t consider myself a person who struggles with obedience, but writing?! That is a different story. Fear immediately came over me and I’m sure I was trembling.

I told God, “I can’t do this. I don’t like writing and I’m not good at it.” He replied, “It is not going to be you that will be writing, it will be Me!” Peace came over me in that moment and He gave me further instructions.

Writing may not be scary to you, but it is for me. In fact, at times I have run from this very project. I would write and then take a long break like a bear in hibernation. I let my fear get the best of me, but God always brought me back to His calling. I found I couldn’t run from God. I tried! There is no corner too dark, no schedule too booked or any place so far away that He can’t find me.

One particular spring morning I was struggling with obedience. I had my running shoes on, ready to go. As my kids were eating breakfast, I opened my Bible to hear from God. I needed Him! My flesh was telling me to run, but my spirit was telling me to give my fears to God. I took my kids to school and when I returned home, I sat back down at my table to read more. To my surprise, the pages in my Bible were flipped to a different passage. Highlighted verses on that divinely appointed page jumped out at me and God spoke to me in that moment.

Those verses were Deuteronomy 28:1-2.

And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Those verses hit me like a ton of bricks. Do you know what the title is for chapter 28? “Blessings for Obedience.” Go figure, right? Have you ever heard the phrase, “God doesn’t call the equipped—He equips the called”? I don’t know who said this, but it is the truth. Sometimes we doubt our own capabilities and feel inadequate to fulfill our calling. Obedience isn’t knowing all the answers and having everything figured out. Obedience is saying “yes” to Him and trusting every step of the way. You don’t have to walk in your own strength, which is easy and natural to do; walk in His. Trust Him to equip you and surrender your will to His.

Luke 12:48b NLT says,

When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

I need God’s strength and ability to be obedient, no matter how hard it is. I consider it a privilege to be chosen by the Creator of this universe for His work. Think about that for a moment. I never want a time to come when He is silent because I have continually chosen to be disobedient. Time is short, so I challenge you also to choose to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Choose obedience.

Reflection Questions

1. Are you running from God? Explain the situation and the outcome.

2. What are your struggles with obedience? How can you overcome them?