We spent most of yesterday at the pool. That seems to be our summer routine and we love it. Jacob is learning to swim and our time at the pool is very exhausting for him. We came home to fix supper and Jacob took off his wet bathing suit. I instructed him to put it in the dirty clothes and go and put on some dry clothes. It was taking him a while to come back to the den so we went to check on him. I found that precious little guy completely naked, drawer open, clothes in hand and sound asleep on the floor of his room. He was trying so hard to obey, but tired got the best of him. Has that ever happened to you? It has happened to me. Actually it happens to me often. My heart wants to obey, but my physical body chooses to submit to its own will and the result is actually disobedience. Don't get me wrong, I was not upset with Jacob. He is 3 and he was tired. I am just blessed that he fell asleep while obeying. What God opened my eyes to see however was the fact that "tired" becomes my crutch to justify my own disobedience and I cannot use the excuse of being 3. I want to obey and discipline my children according to God's word, but "I'm tired" so I let their disobedient behavior slide. I want to bless my husband and minister to his needs, but "I'm tired" and I selfishly fall asleep without even a consideration to his plans. I want to be a witness and reach out to my neighbors and to those around me in the community, but "I'm tired" so I quickly move about my busy life and duck back into my house. "I'm tired" seems to be such an easy yet believable excuse. Is it a justifiable excuse? No, not when God requires obedience. Don't get me wrong I know we all get tired and God's design is for us to rest, but tired can never be an excuse not to obey. God requires obedience and even gave us the ultimate example to follow. Jesus was obedient even unto death, death on a cross. I am so thankful that He was not "too tired" to obey that which God had called him to do. He is our example. He is who we follow. We must obey. Pray and ask the Lord Jesus to fill you to overflowing with the desire to obey and the energy to obey. It may require not spending energy on certain things in your life that are selfishly screaming for your attention so that you can do what God requires of you. I don't want to be found holding in my hands the key to my obedience all the while sleeping instead of obeying.
"Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask."
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