My intentions were good. A prayer request shared during Bible study, a troubled marriage in need of prayer, a woman’s ill daughter, a sweet elderly friend’s prayer request for patience as her husband slipped further into dementia – just a few of the many requests that over the years I agreed to remember in my prayers.
It was my honest intention to pray for each of these and many other requests. Too often in the busyness of the day and the pressing needs of those closest to me, many of those prayer requests would be forgotten.
Eventually God convicted me of the way that I handled my commitments to pray for others. No matter how sincere my pledge to pray, my lack of follow-through was a sin – I was wronging my sisters in Christ. So, over the years I’ve changed the way I handle prayer requests – it’s still a work in progress, but my prayer follow-through improves day by day.
The point of sharing this personal story is to point out that no matter how good – how sincere – how honest my intentions were, I failed (sinned) because I was not obedient in my follow-through.
I think that too often, we (believers) equate an intention or a decision with obedience.
GOOD INTENTIONS ≠ OBEDIENCE
In “Experiencing God Day by Day” Henry and Richard Blackaby write:
“God’s call is not to ‘make a decision’ but to obey!
Deciding to obey is not equal to obeying.” 1
A man had two sons. He went to one of his sons and told him that he needed his help in the vineyard for the day, but the son said that he wouldn’t be able to help. Then the father spoke to his second son, telling him that he was needed in the vineyard that day. Son number two said “sure, dad, no problem,” but as the day went on, son number two got busy or preoccupied with his own plans – he never made it to the vineyard.
In the meantime, the first son rearranged his plans so that he could help his dad and he did go to the vineyard to help.
Jesus then asked His listeners, which included the religious leaders of the Temple, this question, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” – in other words, who was the obedient son?
The quick response was, “The first.”
Jesus used this parable (Matthew 21:28-31) to explain that it was not the second son’s empty talk and intentions that proved obedience to his father, but rather the actions of the first son. He further pointed out that the actions of the repentant tax collectors and prostitutes demonstrated true obedience and faith in God, in direct comparison to the hypocritical actions of the religious leaders whose righteous words did not align with their behavior, which was not God-honoring.
In His Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6), Jesus asks the question, “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) Perhaps the words “Lord, Lord” demonstrate intention to believe and follow Christ, unfortunately the follow-through falls flat because there is no demonstrated obedience.
GOOD INTENTIONS ≠ OBEDIENCE
Dear Sister, I ask you to consider your intentions and your actions.
Does what you say you believe align with the way you live out your faith?
Do your actions demonstrate obedience to GOD?
Think carefully as you read . . . does anything sound familiar?
I . . .
Made a commitment to read my Bible every day this year but couldn’t find the time.
Decided I would pray at least once every day, but never found the right moment.
Signed up for women’s Bible Study but just couldn’t work it into my schedule (again).
Told my friend I’d be praying for her but forgot.
Knew it was a bad habit and made a vow to God to stop, but then re-evaluated and decided maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.
Signed up to help with children’s church (nursery, AWANA, etc.) but there was a farmer’s market – a family trip – a family outing – late night on Saturday – I was too tired, I finally asked to be taken off the schedule.
Agree that I should be fellowshipping in a community of believers regularly, but finding the right church is not easy… and I’ve gotten used to watching televised church in my pj’s on Sundays.
Decided to follow Jesus but life got in the way.
Lots of Good Intentions and Decisions but no Obedient Follow Through!
RIGHT (GOD PLEASING) ACTIONS = OBEDIENCE
An old song that I remember singing in my home church was “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.”
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back, no turning back.
When I think back on the joyful worship that filled our large auditorium, I wonder how many of those hundreds of attendees simply lip-synched along, how many decided to follow Jesus, and how many of those that made a decision put that decision into obedient action to follow their LORD wherever HE led them. Praise God, I know that many did because I’ve been blessed to hear or see for myself what God has accomplished in their lives because of the godly decisions that led to obedient actions.
Having “Good Intentions” or making “Good Decisions” is all well and good as long as…
1. The intention or decision is a godly one, and
2. You follow through in Active Obedience.
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3
1 “Experiencing God Day By Day,” Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Blackaby; B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN (2009), pg. 307