The Difference a Verb Makes

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed My command to honor Me as holy before their eyes’.” (Numbers 27:12-14 — NIV)

“Stop!” I cried out, seeing my child step toward a dangerously busy street.

And she did.

But what if she hadn’t stopped, obeying my frantic command? What if, instead, she’d chosen to go? In one act of disobedience, her life could’ve been cut short.

Such was true for Moses. He was told to honor the LORD and “speak” to the rock in the Desert of Zin, but instead he “struck” it (see Numbers 20:1-13). And although life-giving water gushed forth for the children of Israel, neither Aaron or Moses would live to enter the Promise Land…

Because of disobedience, which is always sin.

Oh the difference a verb can make. Stop… Go. Speak…. Struck. Obey… Disobey. 

Live… Die.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says,

“Anyone who loves me will obey my commands” (John 14:24).

How many times have I said to my own children, “Because I love you, I want to keep you safe, but I can’t do that if you don’t obey me. Your obedience demonstrates that you trust me and love me too. So don’t ask, ‘Why?’ Just obey!”?

Yes, because I love my children, I desire to protect them. But frankly, I’m not always sure how. Thankfully — since I, too, am a disobedient nit wit sometimes — I have help. God’s given me His Word (Ps. 119:105) and His sweet Spirit to guide me. Jesus calls Him an “Advocate” (John 14:25, 26), and honestly, that’s just what any parent wants in the face of whiny, argumentative children. (Can I get an “Amen”?)

Abba desires all the fullness of life for His children, as well. He calls us to obedience that we might experience such — asking each of us,

Do you trust Me? If you love Me, you’ll obey Me.

And thankfully, He’s given us His Word and — YES! — an Advocate, His Spirit who dwells within us, His sons and daughters.

Verb spelled backwards is “brev” — which means “that which has been cut short in duration or length.“

Unlike Moses, may our lives not be “cut short” because of disobedient actions, but instead, in a verb, let’s…

OBEY!

“And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:2 — NLT).

Is there an area in your life where you find it particularly difficult to obey? Do you feel your Advocate’s gentle though persistent nudge to make a change? Remember — it’s for your fullness of life! And He will always help. Just ask.