“Slow obedience is disobedience”
The first time I heard this phrase uttered it came from the mouth of a mother of many. She had a large family, and was explaining how this phrase was changing the culture in her home. If she called for a child, and they called back “in just a minute,” the phrase “slow obedience is disobedience” would be called back. Maybe this seems extreme to you, but it was working wonders for her.
Why Slow Obedience is Disobedience
God tells Moses in Numbers 13 to send people into the land that He is giving them. Men are chosen and spend forty days gathering information on the land.
They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. Numbers 13: 27-28
The land does flow with milk and honey, the fruit is amazing. This land is a blessing and already promised to them. But their eyes drift to the reason not to obey. The people are powerful, the cities are strong, there are even giants there: we cannot go.
Focusing on the Obstacles Instead of God
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are. Numbers 13:30-31
I’m struck reading these next few verses by where their eyes are fixed. They say “we can’t do this” to counter Caleb’s statement that “we certainly can.” They are looking at their own hands and saying “these cannot accomplish the task laid before us”. Their stubbornness peaks when they declare in Numbers 14 that they are going to stone the current leaders, appoint new ones, and walk back to slavery. God lays down punishment, telling the people that they won’t be going into the land, but will meet their end in the wilderness.
When Delayed Obedience Becomes Further Disobedience
When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!” Numbers 14:39-40
“Now we are ready to go.” Slow obedience is disobedience. He said “Go” and they dug in. When they finally decided to obey the call to come into the land, they were willing to do so disobediently. They had been told to go back to the wilderness, but again went to assert their will over His. God’s patience has given way to judgement, due to their hard hearts. These stubborn people saw a land of milk and honey, and forgot what God could do with them. They didn’t trust God’s provision so much that they longed for the abuse of Egypt.
Jesus Calls Us to Follow Him
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19
Jesus has a promised kingdom He is inviting us to come into. The kingdom of God is in the midst of us in the here and now. We have to cast our eyes past the reasons to ignore the invitation. There are still sin giants in the world around us, but God is going with us into the land to drive them out. Jesus has given us the path and the promise to follow. Are we willing to come and do so?
The Disciples Respond with Immediate Obedience
At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4:20-22
In contrast to the Israelites in Numbers, we see Simon, Andrew, James, and John all respond with prompt obedience. They walked out of jobs, leaving their livelihood on the shore and their father in a boat.
Both the Israelites and the four disciples are given a task. They were all called to leave the familiar to go into the unknown on a mission of trust. They would have to stop what they were doing to accept the calling to “Come”, and they had to recenter their lives around Him. The Israelites wanted to run back to shame and death. The disciples dropped everything and followed Jesus to a life devoted to Him.
Where Is God Calling You to Obey?
Jesus calls us to come follow Him, and when we look at His life we see how He trained up His disciples. He is calling us to go and make disciples and pass on the mission. Where are you being slow to obey His calling? Are you focused on the obstacles before you or on the God who called you?
This blog podcast was spurred on by the discussion found here.
