A YES ON FILE

Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.  (Jeremiah 7: 23)

I am sharing with you something that came bounding at me in my prayer time yesterday.  As I was praying about some specific decisions in my life, I was telling the Lord about how inconvenient it would be if He wanted me to go this way, but that I was willing to do whatever He thought was best.

I heard in my heart, “Do you really have a ‘yes on file’ with Me?”

The odd concept startled me, then challenged me.  Have I already determined in my heart and committed to “yes,” no matter what God asks me to do?

Now don’t mistake my challenge for the unfortunately popular and erroneous belief that if you submit to God, He’s going to send you to the worst place you can imagine to do the thing you’d most not like to do.  That fear has been propogated by none other than the father of lies in hopes of inspiring you to keep away from the Lord.  No, God uses our divinely-implanted talents and strengths and provides opportunities that allow us to be who we most are.  He’s not some big ogre in the sky who delights in making His kids miserable.

At the same time, He knows better than you or I know where and how our abilities and experiences, infused with HIS strength and power, can make the biggest differences to others. and bring out the best in us at the same time  When that opportunity opens up, and the Holy Spirit nudges you or me to step in, we may not be free from anxiety or delighted with our  removal from the comfort of the familiar.

But I ask myself (and I encourage you to do the same,),”Do I have a yes on file with God?”  Have I made the life-changing decision that He is God, not me?  Is the only real zuestion, “What is God saying to me?” not, “Will I do what God is saying to me?”

I’ve heard it said that a conviction is a decision already made.  I believe that God has been reminding me that obedience is also a decision I must go ahead and make.  Knowing that up front makes it far less complicated to do the right thing when I am tempted to rely on my fickle emotions for guidance.

I have re-affirmed to God that He has my yes on file. Does He have yours?

Dear Lord, You are my God, and I am Your daughter.  I know that You know what’s best for me, how I can be most helpful to others, and how I can best grow in You.  You know me better than I know myself.  I pre-say, ‘YES!” to where You lead me.  Open my spiritual eyes and ears so that I may hear You and act on what I hear!