Ready:
"King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to live in obedience to the Lord his God."
-2 Chronicles 27:6
Set:
The Lord commands us to do many things. While some things come easily to us, others are tough to control. Every person has something different that he struggles with when trying to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. But obedience to God is the key to having an abundant life, as well as an abundant eternity.
In sports, an athlete's obedience to his or her coaches is the key. For a student, obedience to teachers is the key. As a basketball coach, I always see players take one last shot after the coach says, "Balls on the rack." That extra shot shows a lack of obedience to the coach. This is a minor thing, but it still is acting with delay. Little things, such as cursing or talking back to a teacher, are acts of disobedience to God. And these little things can add up. They can make a person act however they want, only thinking about themselves--not about the ways in which they are being disobedient to God or others.
Athletes, when a coach asks you to run hard, put the balls up or get quiet, what is your response? The key to being obedient is doing what you're told without these three things:
1. Without challenge.
2. Without delay.
3. Without excuse.
As a player, student or servant of God in any capacity, it takes hard work to be loyal and obedient to His every command. It takes a major effort. But like King Jotham, you will become more powerful the more obedient to God you become.
Go:
1. Do you act without challenge, delay or excuse?
2. What do you do that is disobedient to your parents, teachers and coaches?
3. What do you do that is disobedient to the Lord?
Workout:
Romans 6
Ephesians 6:1-9
1 John 2:3-4
