One week I was on the phone with one of our wonderful partners. During our conversation, she shared with me some of her experiences in giving. She told me something the Lord had spoken to her many years ago. It was quite profound; therefore, I made a mental note to remember what she had said and jot it down once we hung up the phone. Today I want to share it with you.
God said, “If they only knew what was on the other side of their obedience in giving, they would run TO it and not run from it.”
After we ended our call, I continued to meditate on this statement. I prayed and asked God to show me any times I had run from being obedient to Him in giving.
I thought back to my earlier days when I first became born again. I didn’t know a lot about the Lord and knew even less about giving. Besides that, I had been raised with a single mother and four sisters, prosperity wasn’t something we enjoyed. 
During the early days of learning about God and His ways, it was harder to give when He urged me to. I can look back and see there were times I would hesitate. Sometimes for hours, or days and sometimes I missed my moment altogether. In those days I didn’t realize what was on the other side of my giving. The other side of my obedience to what God was telling me to do.
Today, I know better. I know God more and I understand His ways more. I realize, if He is asking me to give, it is not because He wants something from me. It’s only because He wants to get something to me. I have seen what is on the other side of my obedience to giving. Therefore, I no longer hesitate – I am quick to obey.
Isaiah 1:19-20 says, If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
God’s Word has a great deal to say about the blessings of obedience – this is only ONE of the scriptures concerning this truth. The Bible also has a great deal to say about our giving…
A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. (Proverbs 18:16)
The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. (Proverbs 11:25)
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. (Luke 6:38)
What’s on the other side of our obedience? I think back to the men and women of the Bible, David, Abraham, Joseph, Esther, Peter…and many more. Great deliverance was on the other side of their obedience. It doesn’t always have to do with money – sometimes our obedience to God brings deliverance, restoration, and recovery in other areas of our life.
Maybe God is prompting you to give money – but maybe God is urging you to call a friend. To visit someone who is lonely. To buy lunch for a widow. Or to forgive someone. Whatever He is urging you to do today, remember this, there is something wonderful on the other side of that obedience…if you could see it, you would run TO IT and not away from it. Isn’t that great news!
God, may we all, always, run to be obedient to whatever You are calling us to do…help us do just that Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
