He never runs low on compassion.

Jesus touched the man with leprosy and healed him. He showed him compassion with his touch. He made the “unclean” clean. And when He did this, He commanded this man, with a new lease on life, to keep this to himself and go show himself to the priest.

But, that is not what the man did.

This man, having escaped the loneliness of leprosy was joyful and happy and straightway went to tell everyone that would listen about what Jesus had just done for him. He disobeyed a direct commandment from the Lord. He disregarded what he had been told in favor of what he wanted to do. Oh, we must be so careful to always obey the command of the Lord!

Now, before we go and get all up in this man’s Kool-aid, we need to be reminded that we do the same thing.

I don’t know what miracle and/or healing has been performed in your life and I don’t know what instructions have been given to you from the Lord. But I do know this, many of the times when we are given instructions, we do not obey them. We do not follow through. All I have to do to prove this point is to watch television, look out the window, answer a phone call and if I’m really brutally honest, I can look in the mirror.

Why don’t we obey? Is it because we think we know better? Noodle on that.

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

I cannot imagine it. This is to say that my mind cannot form the mental strength to wrap itself around the reality of God’s love. He shows us such compassion that we do not deserve. No, we don’t deserve it. He gives us His grace and mercy.

So much grace and mercy!

I would that we would take a few moments to consider everything that He has required of us collectively as His children and individually as His servants. Now, with those assignments positioned in the forefront of our mind, think about obedience.

Where you and I have been weak, I pray that we would do better.

Where you and I have been strong, I pray that we will continue.

Obedience is key - it’s very existence, a subset of faith and trust.

If you say you love the Lord, have faith and trust Him then obey Him.