Predetermined Obedience

In Memphis, TN, I have a friend who was invited to be a guest speaker in a church which is known for its long services.  After an hour of congregational singing and testimonies, a beautiful piano solo was played.  A lady stood up in the back of the congregation and reverently said, “Yes, Lord, yes.”  Time passed, and another person stood and said the same thing.  After several minutes, a large percentage of the congregation had stood to their feet and said, “Yes, Lord, yes.”

Finally, his host, a well known pastor looked heavenward and said, “Father, we have given You our response in advance.  Now speak to us through Your messenger and tell us what it is You desire for us to do.”  The secret to joy and worship is listening with a prepared heart.  What God is looking for in every Christian’s attitude is faith expressed in a pre-determined will to obey.

Have you ever attended a church service when the last thing you felt like doing was worshiping the Lord?  We need to guard our frame of mind and worship with a spirit of expectancy.  This requires planning ahead, because invariably the whole world seems to clamor for our attention immediately prior to the worship service.  What difference it will make in your life when you come to church saying, “Yes, Lord, yes.”  When this is the attitude of your hear, God will begin to use your life in wonderful new says!

Too many of us listen to God’s Word as if we were partaking of a smorgasbord.  We want to select a little bit of this and a little bit of that from the Bible, but we don’t come with a pre-determined will to receive whatever God says we need and then apply it in our lives.  All to often, our attitude is something like this:  “Lord, I want to hear what You have to say to me as long as it fits with what I already plan to do.”  The result is that we ask Him to bless whatever we blessed.  We ignore what we don’t want to hear. Mature worship is putting ourselves under the authority of Jesus Christ by saying, “Yes, Lord, yes.  I’m available; I’m willing; I’m eager to do what You want me to do.”

Having believed in Christ and received Him as your Savior, you love for Him will be evidenced by listening to His Word and walking in obedience to His will.  Because He came to give us abundant life, His leadership will always direct us to the highest plain of fulfillment.  We have His unfailing promise: 

“I will instruct you and teach you the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8)