Always Ready, If Not Eager

Scripture References: Exodus 3:18; Luke 12:50

Thinking war would be a great adventure, John Gibbon’s Black Hat Brigade went eagerly into battle at Second Bull Run. There they fought well while losing many of their men contesting Stonewall Jackson’s gray-clad warriors. Their regimental historian later wrote that the brigade was always ready for action after that, but was never again eager.

Goethe finished the second part of Faust at eighty years of age, sorrowing over the deaths of his son and other loved ones. Still he kept to his task, willing himself to live until he finished the task. Duty sustained him, he wrote, only his pledge to duty. He died six months after completing the work.

We must bring willingness, if not always eagerness, to obedience. Athletes routinely hate the time spent training, but they train anyway because they know its importance to success. When we would rather not obey, duty must assume control of our lives and lead us on until obedience is as natural to us as herding is to a Border collie. We are never less obedient at such times. In fact, it proves that our commitment has excelled mere feelings to become convictions. Often we will be eager to obey God, but whether eager or not, we obey and find in the act the satisfaction we thought came only from enthusiasm.

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.