God Leads, We Follow

As I look out at my students and see them all on task, I am grateful. Getting my students on track is a big task in the early weeks of school. When we finally get to the point where the majority know what they are to do and when and where they are to do it, we have accomplished a great deal.

Our classroom would not be successful without obedience to both school and classroom expectations. Obedience is part of the framework that helps our day run successfully.

Of course, I always have those darling little imps who like to frequently push the limits. They quickly learn, however, that obedience has its benefits. Students discover that there are both positive and negative consequences. For example, when work gets done quickly, we have time to play a game. When students are fooling around, we have no spare time for a fun activity.

The most successful students in my classroom are those who are willing to put their trust in me and follow my guidance. When they believe that I will do nothing to harm them, and instead will be continually encouraging them, then they can soar. They understand there are parameters for a reason and that helps them do better.

In our Christian life, it is no different. When we trust God, our lives are so much more spiritually successful.

Are you ready to live an obedient life? What that means is God leads and we follow. If we love God, obedience should be a product of that.

The challenge is, are we willing to do whatever God calls us to do – wherever that may be?

We humans tend to put conditions on our obedience with words like – “I will go … if I have … .” That is not what God is asking of us. We have to trust that He will give us what we need when we need it to fulfill what He is asking of us. We don’t have to have everything together in order to move forward.

Frequently we feel that we need to bring particular things to the table to make things work out. God is not expecting that. It is not a matter of what we bring to the challenge but what God puts in us. He gives us the tools we need to succeed if we are willing to listen to His direction.

Doubts will assail us as we try to move forward as God’s directs. The devil loves to remind us of all our inadequacies.

Moses felt that way. When God called him to go to Egypt to free the Israelites, Moses had a number of excuses, such as not being an eloquent speaker. Even with his personal doubts, Moses came to the point where he was obedient to the Lord’s calling. Moses trusted that God would provide him the tools he needed to succeed in the task given to him.

Gideon reacts similarly when God makes a request of him. He says:

“But Lord, …how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” (Judges 6:15 NIV)

God’s answer to Gideon is swift:

“The Lord answered, I will be with you.” (Judges 6:16 NIV)

Even with God’s promise, Gideon is hesitant and he asks for a number of signs before he is willing to commit to God’s plan. While Gideon does end up obeying God’s request and is successful, it is a long process.

I would love to be able to say that I quickly obey God’s requests of me, but often I am like Gideon and Moses, finding excuses and asking for definitive signs before I proceed. Thankfully, our loving Lord walks with us and helps us follow Him. He doesn’t ask for mindless obedience and allegiance, He asks us to trust Him to not give us more than we can bear.

In 1 John 5:3-4 we are told:

“This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

We have the Holy Spirit to assist us in obeying God’s requests. We have God’s promise that, no matter how easy or difficult the request, we are not taking it on by ourselves. Again, this comes down to having faith in God’s promises and trusting Him to help us walk in ways that are pleasing to Hiim.

If we follow the mantra – God leads, we follow – our lives will be blessed because of it. While it may not be easy, ultimately, we will benefit from doing what God expects of us. We need to yield to God’s direction and let Him change us into instruments for His purposes.

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