Am I obedient?

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him… –Matthew 1:24a (NIV)

I’m not much of a dreamer – I can rarely remember a dream upon waking; if I do, it’s unlikely to make any sense. Four times in the first two chapters of Matthew, Joseph received instruction from God while he was asleep. Almost as astounding as that, Joseph obeyed the directive as soon as he woke up – every time!

"Our difficulty is not that we don't know God's will. Our discomfort comes from the fact that we do know His will, but we do not want to do it. " (Henry Blackaby)

I have a tendency to hesitate. When receiving a nudge from the Holy Spirit, I frequently question whether I heard right, or wonder if I’m reading too much into what I think I saw. I rationalize why this could not have possibly meant that. Or I say “OK”, but put the thing on a back burner until the feeling has passed or the window of opportunity has closed.

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. –John 13:17 (NIV)

I admire Joseph because he didn’t question. He heard God, he knew that he had heard God, and he set out to pursue the path that God had laid out for him, knowing it would completely disrupt his plans. We talked in our foxhole recently about why this kind of obedience is difficult for us. Turns out we often either don’t want to be bothered or we are afraid of what other people might think or say about us.

Then we thought about people we have admired. Each person we recalled had a reputation for godliness and integrity. They knew who they were and they slept easy at night (I don’t know if they dreamed!) because they were committed to doing right by God, regardless of what other people thought. It raised the question: After I'm gone, how will I be remembered?

Years ago I was introduced to a statement which struck me so profoundly that I copied and taped it inside the cover of my Bible, where it’s been for over 30 years. I haven’t always lived up to it, but I still believe and aspire to it. I include it here in hopes that it will encourage you today….

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, back up, let up or shut up until I’ve preached up, prayed up, stored up and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.