In the last week and a half God has been calling me to radical obedience.  It started on a Saturday morning as I was reading the book I am studying for my small group.  I felt Him asking me to give up something and then I felt Him asking me, with a rather stern and serious edge, to obey Him in a greater way in an area I was already working on.  With a somewhat reluctant heart, I'm sorry to say, I finally surrendered.  Then...two days later....He went a little further in His request.  Now I wasn't sure.  I sat for what seemed like hours at my desk.  I was asking Him "Seriously?  You are asking this of me?"  "First, the push on Saturday and now you want to push me with more intensity?"  "I'm not sure I can do this Lord."  "In fact, I KNOW I can't do this....without You right by my side...reminding me You are there.  Reminding me of "the why."  

Gratefully, God has shown me why my obedience is so important in this situation.  Without the "why" I'm not sure I could comply with His request. But unfortunately He doesn't always show the "why".....sometimes it's just the calling to obey without knowing why He is asking.  But in my small group study book, When Women Say Yes to God, by Lysa TerKeurst, she talks about how God knows IN ADVANCE what our obedience will produce.  We can't see the results. Only He can. And instead of asking the question of "what will happen if I obey?"  We should be asking the question and be more concerned about "What will I miss if I refuse to obey?"

This past weekend a friend of mine's daughter had a baby and had to make the grueling decision to give the baby up for adoption.  My friend's daughter knew God was asking this of her. God had not been silent and had shown His hand throughout her pregnancy. Due to circumstances, it was best for the baby, but this knowlege didn't make the decision any easier. God was asking for obedience. He knows what the act of obeying Him in giving this little one up will produce.  Not only in the baby's life, but in my friend's daughter's life.

Radical obedience is essential for God's perfect will to be accomplished in our lives. Radical obedience is hard. When we don't know the "why", it's even tougher. But we serve a Radical God. And He promises He will NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US!  He spoke those words to Moses (Deut. 31:6) and then again to Joshua (Joshua 1:5) and now He speaks them to you and to me!

Everyday I am reminding myself  what God is asking of me. I am setting my eyes on Him, for He is my constant Help. I am confident He knows what He is doing and my obedience to Him, is getting me out of the way so His perfect will can be accomplished.

I encourage you today not to be afraid to answer God's call of obedience in your own life.  You never know where it might lead you next!

In Him,

Elizabeth