Waiting to Obey?

I’m alone. With our son and his wife away, my wife is staying with the grandchildren tonight.

It’s Monday morning, 4:35 AM and I’m awake.

Now it’s 5:00, and I’m still awake. And praying.

The sermon I preached yesterday morning was for me—maybe more than for anyone else. Jesus said, “Make disciples”. Matthew was there that day with the other disciples and recorded what He said. But clearly, the command wasn’t JUST for them or the mission would have expired long ago. It had to be for every follower of every age. I always believed it intellectually—and especially theologically. But after 45 years of being a Christian, I now believe it personally. He meant me.

This took place on October 2, 2023. The launch of Keystone Workshop was still three months away. I’d prayed for nearly a year about an experiment God told me to try. Trying to follow the Spirit’s direction, I was assembling a group of believers who would invite God to use His Word, His Spirit, some skills, and each other to turn them into motivated followers of Jesus who think and pray about making disciples every day.

But as I prayed that morning, God seemed to say, “What about between now and then?”

I don’t know, what about between now and then?

“I mean, are you available between now and then to make disciples too? Or is there some reason the unbelievers you cross paths with in the next three months should be barred from the good news?”

Uhm…, sounds like you think that’s a bad idea.

“Don’t you?”

Listen, can I go back to sleep for another hour? I don’t have to get up early today. I don’t know if you heard, but I’m retired.

“Really? You think collecting social security relieves you of being one of My Son’s disciples? A disciple who makes disciples?”

You mean I’m still on duty?

“Well, you can view it as a chore if you want to. But don’t most ambassadors think it’s a privilege to serve their King?”

Well, since you put it that way. Sooo….., what do I do in the next three months?'

“Just take the next first step”

That may not make sense to you, but I knew immediately what God meant. “Some people you know who need Jesus are already on your radar. Contact them.”

Over the next three days, I did.

One thing God started teaching me last year, is that delayed obedience is disobedience.