More Than Words

A couple of weeks a ago, my husband was just beginning his sermon with a little story about a dad who was having a discussion with his children. He sat them down and asked them which one of them was the most obedient? He prodded a little further and asked, "Who always does everything their mother tells them to?" Immediately my four year old stands up and raises his hand in the air and exclaims "I do! I do!" Of course, this ruined my husbands joke but got plenty of laughs from the congregation. The most humorous part of the story to me is that shortly thereafter; in the heart of the sermon, I could be seen repeatedly telling my son to get up in his chair because he was on the floor trying to crawl under the pew. It was then that I just had to smile as I remembered his "stand up and be counted" declaration of just a few minutes ago. I began to wonder if my heavenly Father views me like this sometimes. I know there have been times that I have responded to him immediately stating adamantly my allegiance to a certain conviction or thought. I have even committed to something in front of others fully expecting to follow through. I desired to do His will and follow after Him but then I would get distracted and stop thinking of my commitment or get discouraged in face of defeat. I am then caught in the very thing I had promised not to do. This is an age old deli ma. Peter struggled with this when he denied Christ three times after declaring he would not be the one to do such a thing a short time before. Did he just get caught up like we do, in life's hardships and struggles and before he knew it, let the guard down and sin was commited? I want to be genuine in my answers and actions for the cause of Christ. As true followers of Christ, may we be doers of the word and not just hearers only. May we realize when we have stood up to be counted and then failed to follow through. May we not fool ourselves into thinking we are more than what we are. The next time you find yourself in Church nodding your head in agreement to something being said, stop a minute, and truly analyze whether this is an issue you have been obedient in with your actions and not just with your declarations.

Matthew 26:35,75- "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. (V.75)And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly."KJV
James 1:22-"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."KJV