Jackie's Journey "The Hills are Alive..."

Driving home one crisp and clear Monday morning, I looked up from the traffic to view an astonishing sight!  The hills were alive with masses of green flora!  “…He is like brightness after the rain that brings grass to the earth.” II Sam. 23:4   I live at the top of a valley and we have been in a drought for years.  The hillsides on both sides are either vibrant green or latent brown.  When green, the vegetation is thick and the variation of colors is almost more than the eye can bear in beauty.  When brown, it is as if the earth has closed its doors and left the ground dead, blanketed in weeds and dust.

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of

childbirth right up to the present time.” Romans 8: 22 (NIV)

The dry earth lies in wait.  It is dormant as the season’s come and go.  It patiently waits for the Creator to open the floodgates of heaven with rain to saturate the soil once again.  “He provides rain for the earth and sends water on the countryside". Job 5: 10    After months of “dry bones” the response to the nurturing dewdrops of the night past had been instant!  The blades of grass were standing straight up and immediately beginning to show signs of new life.  “The earth had burst into jubilant song… Psalms 98:4   ♫The hills are alive with the sound of music ♬ and covered in a magnificent lush green hue again!

I was so fascinated; my inclination was to burst into song!

“He calls forth songs of joy.” Psa.65: 8

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…” Psa.24: 1I   All creation obeys God!  I was thinking what a difference this world would be if the “human” world, like the flora world, would instantly respond to the initial promptings of the Creator. What if we would immediately stand up tall with an eager response and dedicated conviction to be and do whatever our Creator asks of us?  We would change our world, as we know it!  Wouldn’t we?

When God speaks to you, what is your response?

 Is it instant obedience or is it a contrived excuse? 

Kim, our youngest daughter with Megan, our granddaughter,

Climbed to the top for a clear view of the green valley…

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey: The Command Zone!

“Good men (women) are never idle, they are not hurried, worried, or flurried.  They keep the even tenor of their way, walking steadily towards heaven.

The Law of the Lord is not irksome to them, its commands are not grievous and its restrictions are not slavish in their esteem.

They are rather a chart for their daily course, a map of the road for their life’s journey.  The path of obedience has no regret.  The Lord is their testimony.”

 C. Spurgeon

Just the word “command” raises a red flag in our heart of hearts, doesn’t it?

We live in a day and age where we are not subservient and not held responsible or accountable for anything we are asked to do.  We can question and decide if we feel like doing it or if, we even want to do it at all!  Western culture has taken a huge swing into massive confusion and our homes have followed suit.  We make decisions on a whim, usually independent of our authority with no consequence considered. Often our decisions are made without biblical consideration. 

We are easily persuaded by every “wind and doctrine”.   Hence the continual “church hopping”, the high divorce rate among believers, the on-line dating for the increasing singles population, the struggling marriages with unruly children, the media mayhem, the unprecedented division in national, state, local and church leaderships.  We see it all around us…chaos.  

Sound familiar?

There is a day coming when we will all be held accountable for our part of the chaos!  Accountable for every thought, word, deed and motive.  God has a plan that gives us moms a key for ourselves and for our children that will allow them to develop into mature adults that will be equipped to make a change in the next generation.

How can we be assured of success?

It begins with obedience to what He asks of us. 

…What, exactly, does the Lord our God ask of us?

1. to fear Him
2. to walk in all his ways
3. to love him
4. to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul (mind, will and emotions!)
5.  to observe His commands and decrees…”  Deuteronomy 10: 12

Asking too much? 

The truth is, it is our reasonable service in the light of His sacrifice for us!   Instant obedience to the initial promptings of God’s Spirit should be our response with no hesitation, no rationalization and no doubt…just a simple immediate compliance.  Having will power over our actions is empowering!  Self-constraint breeds dignity and strength of character and a sense of self-possession and assurance. 

When God asks us to respond to Him, He expects it to be immediate because He has sent His Spirit ahead to convince us of His truth.  He enables us to hear His voice and He anticipates our instant obedience.  When we fail to respond to Him we face the consequence of our disobedience and miss the joy of His fellowship and the reward.      

Chaos ensues and our peace is disrupted! 

Why do we hesitate to instantly yield? 

While in training for the mission field, a seasoned instructor, who had served years in the jungles of Brazil, told me after sensing my hesitation to respond to a truth in the Word, “The choices you make will blight or bless, Jackie.  If you aren’t a missionary, you are a mission field”.

Procrastination when God gave clear instruction made me a mission field!  The responsibility to live a life of obedience to His Word was solely mine.  I was responsible for me and accountable to God for every decision!  The only way my choices would line up with His would be if I knew what His Word said and did what God asked of me!

What was it, again, that God requires of me?

It is not complicated…

• To fear Him is to fear the consequence of sin.
• To walk in “all His ways” is to maintain a moment-by-moment walk of God- consciousness:
• with no unconfessed sin and no unresolved relationship
• with an acceptance of trials as teachers and opportunity
• with no hypocrisy
• To Love Him is to hate evil (all unrighteousness)
• no double-mindedness
• no disloyalty
• To serve Him is to stay dead to my self-life, so I stay out of His way and He can work through me for the benefit of others
• To observe His commands is to get into His Word and let His truth encourage, admonish and instruct me.

Sound interesting?   

The reward and blessing of responding to God with instant obedience is overwhelmingly inspiring… especially if you are comparing it to the disobedient alternative.                            

Which will you choose?

Acceptance of God’s commands and map for your life’s journey

or

Rebellion, Procrastination and Regret at the end of the line? 

We will be held accountable!

So will those little princes and princesses following us!

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.