16/01/2023
Delayed obedience explained
I came across a lesson that was taught at a Sunday School, I was upset and but not angry. I thought how could an organization supposed to teach the word of God to children be so mean.
The lesson had a phrase called DELAYED OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE.
Now as the term suggests they pointed out that delayed obedience is disobedience. This does not make sense to me. So I prayed, meditated on that and asked God to clear my doubts.
When I studied, The first thing that came to me was obviously Jonah the prophet. If we see ourselves in his shoes we could clearly understand why there was a delayed obedience in him.
He was a jew, a jew is not supposed to preach the scriptures to Gentiles then.
Nineveh was a country of a Gentile nation. If Jonah goes there he would be definitely condemned and criticized by his people.
He is indeed a prophet, young and faithful which is clearly understood later. His boldness to ignore the word of God is explained in the book of Jonah.
Ultimately God worked out his plan through Jonah, a little late and hard but fulfilled his mission. To his surprise the entire people of Nineveh were saved.
Now what happened to the delayed obedience?.
God gave another chance.
We all know this verse John 1:17
*“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”*
So grace, we have grace, this period of time is grace, so we who have found grace, should give grace, preach grace, practice grace and truth to all.
We know 2 Peter 3:9
*The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance..*
In that case, we can quote what happened to many who Jesus our Lord met during his days on earth and waited for them to realize that Jesus is the son of God.
From Peter, Samaritan woman, legion, and many more. Jesus is full of grace and truth.
Now then,
*Matthew 18: 21-22 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.*
This is whole of our life time, we should wait patiently the entire life enduring and forgiving others. This is the truth.
So what happened to Peter, who was with Jesus the whole time? This was foretold to him a little earlier that day. Did God treat it as disobedience?
Luke 22:61
*“And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the c**k crow, thou shalt deny me thrice*
Peter cried bitterly and repented later. His delayed obedience was accepted.
The same was the case with other disciples like Thomas and so on.
So we are running out of time, hence even if delayed we should be working together with our Lord with grace and truth and with patience and love to invite all to obedience in Jesus, our Lord and savior.
Keep on trying, don't give up. Don't judge, don't lose hope, continue with faith as true warriors in Christ. Amen
