Obey!

Obey!

But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.

James 1:22‭-‬24 AMPC

A fairly long passage, but with relevant lessons for our lives today. There is s lot of hearing, but not much of listening and doing. We love the high-sounding words of the bible; we love the stories and envy the lives and testimonies of these men and women, yet we do not want to commit to doing what they did to get what they did. God is not a magician, but He is a miracle worker. He can do the most mighty with the most weak, but the most weak must recognize its limitations and depend totally on the one who can do the most mighty. This is where today's extract has relevant messages for us: what is God's demand of me, and how do I fit my life's pursuits, priorities and purposes into the divine plan of God?

The first thing is to have unfettered access to the Word of God. There is nothing else that has the backing and power of God more than His Word. The Word of God is His person; Jesus is called the Word of God. In essence, when I really read and study the Word of God, I am telling God that He is very important to me. Would I then take all that time to read and meditate, and then simply ignore its warnings, instructions or directives? Would I pick and choose only the parts of the Word of God that align with what I desire, and ignore the rest? Or would I just simply take it all as one long interesting story, not even bothering with the lessons it seeks to teach or the change it can bring if I allow Him work?

Whatever the response, God cannot be caught by surprise; after all, His Word has been existing before time as we know it now began, and will continue to exist long after time, as we know it now, ceases to exist. His Word remains that template by which true change can occur, only if I allow Him work. This is the progression from reading and hearing to obeying. I cannot remain at the level of hearing alone, which is the entry point, but I must move on to obedience. No plan ever produces fruit without going through all the processes that aid growth: preparation, plowing, planting, processing, preparing, protecting, weeding, watering and nurturing. If these processes are not done, how can I expect a rich harvest?

The person who only reads and hears, without any desire to obey, is described as one who looks in a mirror, sees what s/he looks like, and as soon as s/he turns around, forgets all that was seen. Pray, how would that person be able to correct whatever anomaly or oddity was identified in the mirror? I note that there is no third party influence here; I cannot get someone else to do what you alone are required to do, because whatever was shown to me is personal to me. Even if I described it in detail, the person will never get it like I did. That is the limitation of trusting a man to fix that which only God can. That is the deception of this present age that raises intellect, influence and income over the power of the Word of God.

No matter the value, nothing can replace the Word of God in a man's life. That which only God can do will be done by Him alone. His Word is powerful, generational and personal. My lessons are first my own, before they become a charge to someone else. I must first seek to allow the Word of God to work in me, before I seek it to work through me. I must focus on the silent, hidden work of the Word of God; work done away from the eyes of men, so that when the season of manifestation comes, the power of the Word of God can flow unhindered and unfettered. God can do what He says in His Word that he can do; would I let Him? Remember, He does not force Himself on anyone; it is surrender. God's time of favour is here.