The baton of disobedience

Have you ever been faced with a serious setback along the road of obedience? You are following God and seeking His will, then bang!—disaster strikes. It happened to Moses. He was on his way back to Egypt with his wife and family, and all set to confront Pharaoh, when he became so ill he thought he would die. In Moses’ case (and sometimes in ours, too) the problem was an old sin that hadn’t been addressed. He had been so busy gearing up for God’s program that he had neglected a matter of obedience in his own family. He had failed to circumcise his son. Does that seem petty? Does it seem like a little thing? It was not little in the sight of God.

If you make up your mind that you want God’s best for your life, if you commit to seek and follow His will, if God’s blessing matters more to you than anything, God will hold you to it. And He’ll take you back every time to the place you got off track and give you the chance to begin again. Moses dropped the baton of obedience by failing to circumcise his son. He thought he was ready to do God’s bidding, and to face the leaders of the most powerful nation on earth, but first there was a small matter of obedience to rectify at home.

Have you ever watched a relay race in a track meet? A baton is passed from runner to runner, and the exchange can add or subtract vital seconds to the runners’ score. If the baton is dropped, it must be picked up. The runner who finishes the race without it—even if he finishes first—is disqualified. When a sin of omission or commission blocks your progress, if you have the human power to do so, you must go back and get it right. Only when you have done so are you ready to move on and be blessed by God in the race of life.