If you haven't read the first post Son of a Righteous and a Rapist, CLICK HERE before reading below and then come back! If you have or you're back, let's dive in.
The sound of the refractor switching gets me laser focused. While I’m piercing through it, the question is asked, “Lens one or lens two?” The lens is flipped back and forth before I answer, “one.” The back and forth helps my eyes and brain figure out what view looks better. Did it mean lens two was bad? No. Lens one simply gave me a crisper view of my surroundings.
In our lives, are we still looking at life through lens number two when one is available?
Woah! Where did that massive shift come from? We went from talking about lenses to our lives very quickly. Do you know what we also do? We pray for the suddenly, but the timing is never our own. Most of the time, we can’t see the hand of God until we look back through a different lens.
As previously stated, “my life hasn’t been one for the ages.” I have had a life worthy of its own book, but don’t we all? My book would have topics ranging from highs to lows, trust to betrayal, gain to loss, and even faith to fear. The story would eventually take a turn and switch directions. You would see physical healing, mental healing, spiritual healing, and God’s faithfulness splattered all over the pages.
I will go ahead and give you the premise of the book: God will move in your tested obedience.
Again, calling back to the previous post, I shared a few life-shattering things I went through in five years. As I walked through all instances, God was still working on and for me. I didn’t know at the time what God was doing, but he was working more than I realized.
There is no such thing as coincidence when obedience is your motive.
During the summer of 2018, I was asked to share what God placed on my heart to an entire church congregation. God led me to share my miraculous testimony through faith. When I was first approached, I was excited! Finally! I was given an opportunity to share what God has done for me in front of many. However, when the day came, I was having rifts of fear and heartbreak. If you remember, this summer was the summer my father was arrested. As a matter of fact, he was going to be arrested the next day after I spoke which I was aware of. God asked me to share my faith while walking through the background knowledge of what was to come the next day due to my father’s nasty sin. Obedience? Only time would tell…
Four months later, I met the woman of my dreams. I was asked by a buddy at the time if I would go on a blind date. Negative. Absolutely not... So, we go on a date, ha! The first date was the most vulnerable first date I had ever been on. It was also a date I didn’t want. Ironically, she didn’t want it either. We were both at a point where we weren’t looking for “the one.” It is interesting that THE One already had our lives on a collision course.
Oh, yeah. Back to the vulnerable part…
I was so scared to be judged by anyone because of my father’s sin. I had this fear everyone knew about the father, and I’d be marked a no-go. Somehow, on this date, I divulged it out in the open with her. To my surprise, it opened her up to share her own story. She didn’t judge me by my father, but by my Father, God. Here were two people who didn’t want to entertain the blind date idea. Yet, obedience to take a step of faith changed our lives together. Obedience? Time was telling…
The next time I would preach/teach was for a new church plant. The excitement was there! I was walking in faith regarding a church plant a great friend of mine approached me with. Obedience, right? Well, remember that father of mine who went to prison the first time I shared my testimony? Yeah, he passed away, in prison, on Thanksgiving 2020. Was I thankful? The man I came to all but hate was on my mind the first Sunday (after Thanksgiving) teaching for the new church. I wondered, after all of it, was he saved? I had inner turmoil raging. On one hand, the victims of his nasty sin could live without fear of him ever again. On the other hand, I wondered if he finally knew Jesus. It was a powerful moment in my life. I had joy for the victims to be “free” in a sense of him AND had mercy to hope he was saved. God was changing my focus to heavenly things while my flesh still struggled with it. God gave me strength to teach with, yet again, another background issue blaring in my head.
He was still teaching me the fruit from obedience. I was starting to realize a pattern as I stepped through tested obedience. God was closing the chapters in my life I didn’t realize needed closed. I thought I had closed them. FYI, we are not the ones who can close chapters. We must have God’s help in doing so to truly close them for good.
*CLICK* Lens One
The father’s chapter was closed, but God had one more to go. It came out of NOWHERE.
Right before the launch of the church plant to the public, I received a message from the most unexpected person.
“Hey Jamie, I know this is odd for me to reach out to you, but I’ve been praying a lot about forgiveness, and I felt that I needed to humble myself and reach out to you... no matter how embarrassing this is about to be…”
If you recall from my last post, I had gone through divorce which rocked me. It caused a very serious conversation between God and I which changed the trajectory of my life.
Long story short, the unexpected message was from my ex-wife. The message was laced with repentance and asking for forgiveness from the past, 7 years ago.
7 is the sign of completion, right? It was this time. Obedience? Time told…
I had forgiven her a long time ago, but God used her own obedience to step out and finally be freed from mistakes she made seven years ago. In the process, He closed a chapter I didn't realize needed closed.
Are you seeing clearer now? Again, there is no such thing as coincidence when obedience is your motive. Obedience doesn’t look for closed chapters. Obedience simply looks at God and says “YES!”
God took big, past situations in my life and closed them for good. He gave me a wonderful wife, new home, new dog, and a new career. He allowed me to preach and teach in a season I gained even more growth in Him. He was faithful, He is faithful, and He will always be faithful.
I can’t wait for the next opportunity God gives me to step on a stage and share His Word and personal testimonies I’ve walked through. There is power in your obedience towards God.
Tested Obedience = Testimony
Are you ready for your own?
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