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Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Disobedience Hinders God's Plan
The man left there and told all the people he saw that Jesus
had healed him. So the news about Jesus spread. And that is
why Jesus could not enter a town if people saw him. Jesus
stayed in places where people did not live. But people came
from all the towns to the places where Jesus was.
-- Mark 1:45 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
Many times we think we know what is best. Unfortunately, some of those
times we actually disobey the clear teaching of the Lord because we
think we know a better way. Invariably, our attempts at doing good by
disobeying the Lord end up hindering his will. Certainly God can
overcome our misguided attempts at helping his cause for he is God and
he is sovereign and all-powerful. That's not the point. We need to obey
him even when we can't understand the reasons behind the command and
when we think we may know a better way to help and honor the Lord. The
man who had leprosy disobeyed Jesus and told those around him about
what Jesus had done. Instead of being able to fulfill God's purpose for
him by going to the cities and villages and proclaiming the word there
(see vs. 38-39), Jesus now has to stay in secluded spaces. People came
to him, but he was cut off from going to them. The man's disobedience,
though well-intentioned, interfered with Jesus' desire to fulfill his
mission. In the same way, our disobedience of the Lord today often
interferes with the Lord's desire to accomplish his mission in us!
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father, forgive me when I do not obey you. I know my disobedience
hinders my own growth and can also interfere with your work in building
the Kingdom and reaching the lost. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/mark/0129-wjd.html
>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Mark+1:45&sr=1&t=erv
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