SLOW OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE

I remember when I was asked (told) to do something by my parents.  I might complain and ask why I had to do this but for the most part I would EVENTUALLY do what they asked me to do.  But I have to be honest - many times they had to give me a deadline.  They would say Mark you need to clean your room before you can go anywhere.  So I would wait and wait and trying to put it off as long as possible.  If a friend called and invited me to go and play some football or shoot baskets I had to say no because no matter how much I promised to do it later my Mom and Dad knew me better than that.  You would think I would learn.  But the more irksome the task the longer I waited to do it.  And I missed out things I would rather have done because I did not obey sooner rather than later.  So as I read these verses the challenge obedience came back to me in a whole new light. 

Psalm 119:59-60 (HCS) I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to Your decrees. [60] I hurried, not hesitating to keep Your commands.

Psalm 119:59-60 (NLT)  I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. [60] I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.

I love the fact that the Psalmist was pondering and thinking about his life and the direction he was going.  At that point he decided he was going the WRONG way and TURNED back (that is called repentance) to God’s Word with the desire to obey.  The phrase perhaps reflects the fact that the writer had drifted away from following God faithfully.  Because when he turns back he HURRIES to OBEY.  He does NOT hesitate, he does not stall for time, he does try to put it off for another day, or another time.  He has seen that he was wrong - he has turned back to God and His Word.  Now there is a determined desire a commitment to follow through immediately without hesitation in full wholehearted obedience.  How do we respond when God shows us that there is something in our lives that displeases Him?  We should think about it and look into God’s Word and then Hurry without any Hesitation or Delay to OBEY.  If we know what we are supposed to do and we put it off then we are choosing to stay in our rebellion and disobedience.

PRAYER:  O Lord, help me to ponder my life regularly in LIGHT of Your Word.  Lord, please help me to think clearly - guide my thinking by Your Word and Your Holy Spirit - help me to OBEY.  Keep me from putting it off - give me Your strength to be able to OBEY You with ALL my heart.  Help me Lord God to HURRY to Obey Your Word.