Obedience

The other day God demonstrated to Bryan and I the difference between obeying swiftly and well, not obeying swiftly. We were standing in the kitchen preparing dinner and setting the table. Bryan asked Sarah if she would put the forks on the table. Normally Sarah (in her desire to please sort of way) obeys quickly and without question. But this particular day she started arguing her case for not setting the table. And as she explained away, Ellie walked over, reached her little hands into the drawer, grabbed out some forks and brought them to the table. Wow. She had not been asked to set the table, she just did it. As this unfolded, Bryan stopped Sarah and pointed out what Ellie had just done. And although Sarah understood, even more that lesson was for me and Bryan. Later we discussed how beautiful the scene played out for us so that we would see so clearly what God expected of us. I honestly don't think I ever understood what God intended. Of course, I know in my heart that my Father desires for me to act without question, trusting that He knows best. But to see it...
In the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, many of the chapters begin with "Then the LORD spoke to Moses". God was speaking directly to Moses and Moses was following through with God's instructions. God guided Isreal through Moses' obedience. I wonder what would have happened to the Isrealites if Moses would have questioned God's instruction.
1 Samuel 15 documents the disobedience of king Saul. And God says in verse 11 "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not carried out My commands."
Our Father doesn't take disobedience lightly, unlike so many of us. How many times as parents we brush off the disobedience of our children. (And what nightmare's it later creates for us!) Like Ellie so beautifully demonstrated for my little peanut brain, God expects us to obey swiftly, trusting that He knows best. And when we don't, there are consequences - only because He loves us and He wants us to get it :)