Ordinary Obedience
An old Yiddish proverb says, “Man plans, and God laughs”.
If that’s true, my plans must keep the good Lord amused. He’s surely laughed at how I try to plan things.
But the really beautiful thing about God is, He may laugh at our plans, but He absolutely directs our steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)
“We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
Often, we wait for God to move, desperately seeking answers. Yet God can respond calmly and unexpectedly. For example:
The children of Israel are backed up against the Red Sea while Pharaoh and his army rush towards them. And Moses is crying out to God for help, and this is what God says.
Exodus 14:15 (NLT)
“Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!'“
You can’t read that without at least grinning—where exactly were they supposed to go? Move where?
Nevertheless, God expected action even when Israel couldn’t see a way out. You could also say God expected obedience.
The Red Sea challenged Israel's faith in a monumental way; it was a major part of their story that had a literal impact on their lives. It was a life-or-death situation.
But our lives aren’t spent trapped at Red Sea moments. Our days unfold in school pick-up lines, grocery aisles, dinner preparations, presentations, sales calls, client meetings...most of life happens in the routine, ordinary places.
It’s easy to become embittered by cleaning a dirty toilet or swept up in the joy of sports games and piano recitals. But have you ever considered the power of obedience in life’s ordinary moments?
Take, for instance, my girl Ruth.
Ruth 2:3 (NIV)
“So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.”
Ruth is simply doing what survival requires; she’s gathering food for herself and Naomi. She’s unaware whose field it is, let alone who Boaz is. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to go from gleaning in the fields to owning the fields.
Genesis 24:16 (NIV)
“The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.”
This beautiful young maiden is Rebekah, and her everyday task of filling her jar with water is about to bring her to her destiny. Rebekah will meet the servant of Abraham who is there to find a wife for Isaac. She doesn’t know it yet, but she is destined to become part of Christ's lineage.
John 4:7 (NIV)
“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?'”
In John chapter four, we meet the Samaritan woman at the well. She’s an outcast, collecting water at noon when the heat drives others away. Yet her entire world is about to shift—Jesus meets her at the well and offers her everlasting life. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to become the first female witness in the New Testament.
Because of their ordinary obedience—their relentless commitment to daily life—each woman was poised for a divine encounter that transformed everything.
Ruth, Rebekah, and the Samaritan Woman’s steps were all ordered by the LORD. And their obedience brought about their breakthrough; their miracle.
Acts 1:7 (NLT)
“He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.”
Daniel 2:21 (NIV)
“He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”
God has a set time for your miracle. He has arranged the time and the season; He is ordering your steps as you submit to Him.
Never dismiss your everyday, ordinary responsibilities. You never know when a divine encounter or unexpected conversation will launch you into your destiny.
The Bible does not say this, but I will: there are no coincidences with God.
I recently had one of these small but average moments that could lead to a really big thing for me. And while I was excited at first, I began to overthink it and then became discouraged. I started to write off the moment as just an accident. The next day, I was driving into work, and I asked God, “Was that a fluke? Do I dare get my hopes up?” He led me to the story of Rebekah, and my heart leaped.
There are no accidents when God is running the show. And what seems like a small moment now is the start to achieving something much greater than this moment.
So do not be discouraged while you’re shopping for groceries. Do not be discouraged while mowing the lawn. Do not be discouraged by putting gas in your car. Because you don’t know who God will put in your path that will change your trajectory.
One day, Naomi will tell Ruth to go glean in a nearby field; it’s very important that she does this.
One day, Rebekah will need to fill her jar with water; it’s very important that she does this.
One day, the Samaritan woman will need water, and she will get it in the noonday sun; it’s very important that she does this.
One day, you’re going to do something you’ve always done because it’s part of your life, because you have responsibilities; it’s very important that you do this.
Because ordinary obedience puts you in a position for a divine encounter with destiny.
