The path of obedience is seldom easy, and it certainly wasn’t easy for the Christians in the New Testament era. When they preached the gospel in Jerusalem, the Jewish religious leaders told them to stop. How did they respond? They rose to the occasion! They courageously declared, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).
And what was the effect of their obedience? “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness” (verse 31). As a result, people came to Christ, and the church grew, all because they were willing to overcome challenges in their pursuit to obey God. Are you ready to rise to the occasion—to any occasion?
Father, help me recognize the steps of obedience You ask me to make today. And when my commitment is challenged, help me rise to the occasion and glorify You in all I do. Amen.
Read From Jim’s Heart–Rising to the Occasion on Elizabeth & Jim George.