Obedience Comes With Sacrifice

     Yesterday we talked about Mary's obedience. That obedience came with a sacrifice. Our obedience comes with a sacrifice. I remember a statement that stuck with me from a study called 'Experiencing God'. "Following God is costly to you and to others." I confess that many times I have had a skewed viewpoint of obedience. I have really believed that if you are obedient, God will make your path easy! I know, it doesn't say that anywhere in scripture, but sometimes we maneuver scripture to say what we want it to say. When it took a year to sell our house so we could leave for seminary, I was really frustrated with God. I didn't want to go to seminary when Dwayne first brought it up to me. Then we visited the seminary and God showed me through many signs that Dwayne was suppose to attend seminary and so Dwayne and I knelt in a hotel room and surrendered to the ministry. I was sure He was going to reward us by selling our house the next week. I found myself excited to go to seminary and to start our new life. Well, God didn't sell our house that quickly and we missed the Fall AND Spring Enrollment. My frustration increased. I remember telling God that I thought He was being cruel, and He was playing me. First, I didn't want to go to seminary, then He changed my mind, then He wouldn't let us go. I just didn't get why obedience had to be so hard. (Now remember, I shared with you yesterday about why we had the delay; it was all God's timing. I hadn't learned that lesson yet!)
I don't know what Mary thought, but time would show she had some difficult times as well. After Mary returned from being with Elizabeth, it was time to face the people. Scripture doesn't say anything about her telling her parents, however, I do not think it is a stretch to assume she had to share the news with them. After all, she had no idea what would happen with Joseph. I know there is nothing more difficult than for a young girl to look into the eyes of her father and explain how she ended up pregnant. In this case, how could she convince him that she was still a virgin. I can't imagine what I would do if Brittne tried to use that excuse! Next in line was Joseph. There were many choices Joseph had. He could disgrace her publicly because stoning her to death was an option. Having her family and friends disown her was another. No man would ever have her after what she had done if Joseph disgraced her. Scripture tells us that he was a righteous man and he did not want to make this a public disgrace for her, so he was going to quietly divorce her and send her away. However, as Joseph slept, God spoke to him. An angel told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife and that the baby she was carrying was conceived from the Holy Spirit. The angel reminded him of prophesy about a virgin birth and that the prophesy was being fulfilled. When Joseph woke, he married Mary and he was not intimate with her until after Jesus was born. Okay, that was hard but God was faithful to turn it around. But before she could get too comfortable, it turned hard again. She had to ride a donkey to Bethlehem. I know I would have said, "Are you kidding me, I have to ride a donkey. Does anyone remember that I am pregnant and getting close to delivery?" Hopefully, she would get there in time. When they did arrive, she was in labor and she couldn't even find a warm room with a bed to deliver God's Son. How could God expect her to deliver in a cave for animals? Wasn't she better than the animals? But again, she didn't have a choice. Where was her mother, her family and friends? Why did she have to be alone? No midwife either, only Joseph to deliver the baby? I would have been a little scared if Dwayne had to deliver one of our children! If anybody had a reason to complain, it would be Mary. Yet, we do not hear anything from her. She stays in the spirit of obedience. She continues to trust God and He was faithful to provide for every need. It just wasn't in the way she wished or expected.
     Has obedience brought you hard times? Do you think things should be easy if you obey? How do you react when it isn't? Do you complain and feel abandoned and misled? Or do you trust God no matter what path He chooses for you to walk? Maybe your obedience is healing your marriage? Maybe it is ending a relationship that has gone too far? Maybe it is giving up an addiction? Maybe it is leaving a place or thing you love? Whatever it is, it will take sacrifice. You can trust God to always provide for you, maybe not in the way you want or expect, but He will always work it out according to His plan. Can you trust Him? The blessing of obedience is greater than the cost of the sacrifice! Don't rob yourself of the blessing!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1-7