When we Obey, God Will Make a Way

Several years ago, I felt a strong calling to love on single mothers that were in our community.

In my search to find out what single mothers needed and desired, I came across a woman in Michigan who had been doing life with single moms for years, helping to meet their needs, keeping them engaged with the local church and encouraging them in their season of life.  Her name was Nancy and I’ll never forget the encouragement she offered to me.  After a lengthy phone interview, she sweetly invited me and my partner in this endeavor to come up to Ann Arbor to take a look at their church facility and attend one of their events to serve single moms.  I thanked her ever so humbly knowing in my heart we would never be able to afford to fly up and spend a weekend with her.

But God.

I told my ministry partner we had an open invitation to visit Nancy and we simply told the Lord we were willing to go if He provided a way.  Within 7 days of our phone interview, we had 2 round-trip tickets, a 2 night stay at a 5 star hotel and all of our meals paid in full to go up.  Not by any effort on our own or Nancy’s.

We were willing to go and God made a way.

I’ll never forget all of the small details about that story that I don’t have time to share here, but what I know is that in our willingness to follow after God, He not only made a way, but He did so with excellence.  We were treated like royalty on this trip.  Some would describe the trip as a miracle.  Still blows my mind.

So why am I telling you this?

I just finished up week three of my study on Sabbath (links to my first two weeks of summaries are below).  This week we dove even deeper into the scriptures as we examined the Israelites in the desert and their resistance to having a day of rest.  I could relate to their anxiety about taking a day to do nothing as they had only known a life of work and had a difficult time realizing that God would provide for them if they would only obey.

In the book, Breathe by Priscilla Shirer, she quotes Anne Graham Lotz as she shared a little of her attitude towards obeying the scriptures:  “Lord, I’ll take care of Your business, and I’ll trust You to take care of Mine.”

Love.  That.

This week’s take aways (they may seem redundant but sometimes my dull mind needs a little redundancy)-

*If we do what He says, He’ll take care of the rest.

*When we obey, God will make a way.

*Obedience is often the doorway that leads to God’s blessings.

Spend some time this week remembering the times in your own life when you stepped out to follow Him and He took care of your needs in response to you moving.  Thank Him.  Write them down.  Tell someone.  And you may want to grab a tissue when you do.

A step further:

Another principle we studied this week was “slaves hoard, free people give”.  When we realize as God’s children that He wants us to live in freedom from a worldly state of mind, we will live with open hands instead of clenched fists.  So good.  ( Proverbs 11:24 )

What is it that you are holding so tightly that it’s keeping you from Sabbath?

Prayer:

Lord,

You own it all and any good thing I have is a blessing from You.  Help me to trust You with the things that are keeping me from resting in your assurance that if I will obey You, you will take care of the rest.  Thank you for loving me and creating Sabbath for me to enjoy.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Week #1 Becoming the Boss of Busyness

Week #2  Making Intentional Changes to Our Human Tendencies