First Time Obedience

3/23/15

As young parents, we took a course on Biblical child rearing, and one of the concepts was first time obedience.  It's a marvelous concept that the child should obey you the FIRST time you tell them to do something.  It keeps you from becoming a threatening, repeating parent.  You know the type... "Johnny, please pick up the toy.  Johnny, do you hear me?  Mommy told you to pick up the toy.  Don't make me tell you again.  Johnny... Johnny... are you listening to me, Johnny?  Mommy said pick up the toy.  If you don't do it, Mommy's going to spank you.  Johnny... Johnny... pick up the toy.  Now.  NOW!  PICK UP THE TOY NOW!" at which point, the mom has totally lost her cool, the veins are popping out of her forehead, and she's about to wallop Johnny with the first available flip flop, all because she didn't make him obey the first time.  Practicing first time obedience can actually keep your neighbors from calling DFACS on you, so it's a pretty good concept to learn.

First time obedience is what God asks for too.  He asks you to do something, and you do it.  The first time.  Without a thousand questions.  Without a long time passing in which you're really NOT listening to God, or you're pretending you don't hear Him, because you don't want to do what He tells you to do.

Kind of like the time the Lord told me to start using my home for Him.  He gave it to me to use for His Kingdom, and I wasn't doing anything.  Do I start a Bible study, Lord?  Prayer group?  Mom's morning out?  What do you want me to do?  That was around August 2010.

In October of 2010, I was attending our neighborhood HOA meeting, and one of my sweet neighbors sat down next to me and said she felt the Lord was going to chasten her if she didn't start something in the neighborhood like a Bible study or a prayer group or something.  You know, that's a great idea!  I think the Lord wants me to do something like that too!

February 2011 rolled around and another sweet neighbor called me on the phone and said she felt the Lord wanted her to start something in the neighborhood like a Bible study or a prayer group or something.  Humph.  I guess God's not going to let up on this one.

FINALLY, Mrs. First Time Obedience (NOT!) started a prayer group with those two sweet neighbors in March 2011, and the answers to prayer we have seen have been ASTOUNDING!  But what blessings did I miss by waiting 7 months to do what the Lord asked me to do?  I have asked God's forgiveness for that, believing that His grace covers my lack of first time obedience.

Hence, my very first post.  Mrs. First Time Obedience (NOT!) strikes again.  Actually, I started this blog two years ago, and had some pretty good stuff on here, but it was FAR too personal for me to share publicly, without permanently damaging certain familial relationships.  The Lord told me way back then to start my own blog.  He brought it up again last year.  And again just last month.  Yep, that's me.  First time obedience.

So here we are.  My first blog.  I'm not sure what the Lord will have me share or how often He will have me share.  My promise to you is that I will do a better job listening to Him and obeying Him the FIRST time when I blog.  My prayer is that my stories will encourage you, uplift you, and most importantly, draw you closer to Jesus.  He loves us, even when we don't practice first time obedience. And for that, I am VERY thankful!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for loving us.  Thank you for loving us when we're disobedient.  Thank you for giving us second chances, or third chances, or even more.  Lord, help us to hear your voice today, and obey you the first time.  Help us to trust you so much that we know that whatever you ask us to do is for our own good.  Draw us ever closer to you.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.