Psalm 119:60 says, “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.”
Psalm 119:60 NLT: “I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.”
The Struggle of Hesitation
We’ve all experienced moments when God asked us to step out in faith. Whether it’s a change in direction, a call to serve, or an act of obedience that feels uncomfortable, we hesitate. Why? Because, if we are honest, sometimes we doubt God’s ability or willingness to fulfill His promises.
Instead of embracing faith, we allow fear and doubt to cloud our actions:
- Instead of trusting, we hesitate.
- Instead of stepping out, we step back.
- Instead of taking risks, we play it safe.
- Instead of stepping out of the boat into the unknown, we stay inside where it is comfortable and familiar.
The truth is, miracles rarely happen in the comfort zone. They are often birthed when we take the step into the arena of “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
David Guzik: “Often, our delays to obey God show that we really don’t believe Him.”
Naaman’s Healing: A Lesson in Obedience
In 2 Kings 5, we encounter Naaman, a mighty warrior who had leprosy. His story teaches us an important lesson about God’s methods and our response to His commands. He was sent to the King of Israel with money for him to be healed by the prophet. The king was upset but the prophet said, send him to me.
When Naaman sought healing from the prophet Elisha, he was given an instruction that seemed strange: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy” (2 Kings 5:10, NLT).
Listen to Naaman’s response:
2 Kings 5:11-12 NLT “But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of theLordhis God and heal me!12Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.”
Naaman’s response was one of anger and frustration. He had expected a grand, dramatic healing, and instead, he was told to dip in a river. Naaman was ready to turn away, but thankfully, one of his officers encouraged him to follow through.
The miracle came not after one or two dips, but after he obeyed fully, completing all seven dips. It would have been easy for Naaman to stop at the fourth or fifth dip when his leprosy hadn’t yet disappeared. But he pressed on and was fully healed after his final dip.
The lesson here is simple: miracles don’t always come in the way we expect, but obedience opens the door to God’s power.
The Fall of Jericho: Obedience in the Face of the Impossible
The story of the fall of Jericho, found in Joshua 6, shows us another example of how God’s miracles often defy human logic and expectations. Jericho was the first city the Israelites had to conquer in the Promised Land. But instead of using military force, God commanded a strategy that seemed absurd: march around the city and shout!
Joshua 6:1-16 gives the detailed instructions:
1 “Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. 3 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.
4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”
6 So Joshua called together the priests and said, “Take up the Ark of theLord’s Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram’s horn.” 7 Then he gave orders to the people: “March around the town, and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the Lord.”
8 After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of theLord, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant followed behind them. 9 Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns. 10 “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!”
11 So the Ark of the Lord was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.12 Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing their horns. Again the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the Lord. All this time the priests were blowing their horns.
14 On the second day they again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days. 15 On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. 16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town!“
Research says the distance around Jericho was approximately a half of a mile. They could have easily completed more laps per day. On the surface, this may have seemed like an illogical, impractical plan. How could marching and shouting defeat a fortified city? But the Israelites’ obedience, regardless of their understanding, led to a miraculous victory. This wasn’t about the skill, but it was about the FAITH. This wasn’t about knowledge of warfare, but it was about TRUSTING in the word and the command of God.
This story reminds us that sometimes God’s plans don’t make sense to us. The way He works may be unconventional or unexpected, but if we are willing to obey, His power will be made evident.
GUZIK“The method of warfare was one that made absolutely no sense according to military intelligence. It required total dependence on God.”
GUZIK“It was a plan for victory whereby it would clearly be the work of the Lord. Yet God gave them something to do so that Israel could work in partnership with God.”
Conclusion: Stepping Into Your Miracle
Just like Naaman’s healing and the fall of Jericho, God’s miracles often happen in the unlikeliest of circumstances. If we are to experience His power in our lives, we must be willing to step out in faith, even when it feels uncomfortable or illogical. Let’s make haste to obey God’s commands, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill His promises.
SPURGEON “Speed in repentance and speed in obedience are two excellent things. We are too often in haste to sin; O that we may be in a greater hurry to obey.”
