Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 288 – Ecclesiastes 11:4 – Don’t Sit There- Growing As Disciples
Don’t sit there watching the wind. Do your own work. Don’t stare at the clouds. Get on with your life. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (MSG)
Take Decisive Action
These are very important words. What are very important words? “Take decisive action” are very important words. Your whole life could pass by if you sat around doing nothing while you waited for perfect conditions. That hasn’t been my problem, at least not most of the time. What has been your problem? Most of the time, I have rashly rushed off to do what I thought was right in my own eyes. I did not wait and watch and listen so that I would be able to know and do you will. So, you are a little confused? That’s right. Well then, we will have a good discussion. I’m watching and waiting and listening. That’s good. I have a few questions for you. Go ahead, ask me. Are you sitting around doing nothing? Are you lying around waiting for perfect conditions? No, not at all. We are having a very important discussion. I am being attentive to all that you want to say to me. Watching and waiting and listening to you is hard work that often requires my very best effort. So, watching and waiting and listening to me is not sitting around doing nothing? It is not idly watching the wind. It is not lazily staring at the clouds. You are not trying to get out of work? You are not delaying going and doing what I ask of you? No, I am not. Listening attentively to me is not filler, until you can get on with the rest of your life? No, certainly not.
So, where are you confused? I’m not sure if right now, at this very moment, is a time to watch and wait and listen or a time to take decisive action? That is a very good question to ask now and keeping on asking throughout your life. Do you believe that I will help you to strike a balance between watching and waiting and listening and taking decisive action? Yes, I do. Which is more important, watching and waiting and listening or taking decisive action? Neither one is more important. Good answer. One however must come before the other. One cannot happen without the other. How so? I can’t know your will without watching and waiting and listen to you. So, before I can take decisive action, I must know your will. That’s right. When I do, I will take decisive action. I will quickly and enthusiastically and joyful go and do all that you ask of me. Then you will bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. That is what I want. That is my plan. That is my desire. That will be very good.
Lord, I will not sit around doing nothing to wait for perfect conditions. Yet, I will not rashly rush off to do whatever seems right to me. I will watch and wait so I will be able to know and do your will. Help me to act decisively so I can bear fruit for your kingdom. Amen
Key Question… How are you seeking to know the Lord’s will and ways as part of your decision to act?
Living It Out… Strike a balance between watching and waiting and acting decisively to go and do the Lord’s will.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to both watch and wait and act decisively to go and do His will.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you watch and wait so you can act decisively to do the Lord’s will.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you act decisively so you will be able to go and do the Lord’s will.
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