Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

Let me tell you just how awesome our God is…

For the last few months, I’ve gone through a severe virus, had a jaw tooth pulled because of pain from a chipped tooth, and because of not being able to eat right, I lost a lot of my strength and I’m struggling to get it back. Today I had to have a squamous cancer removed, it’s close to my collar bone that was fun, not! The really cool thing about that experience though is this, the young lady that was assisting said, “We like to listen to music during the procedure, what music would you like to hear?” I told her, “Contemporary Christian.” In my heart I was like thank you Jesus. I was a bit apprehensive about the surgery.

As the doctor began to cut, this precious song began to play, “Hold onto me,” by Lauren Daigle. How perfect was that? The doctor whistled the tune as he worked and I sang along with the song in my head. They stitched me up and I was good to go. Also, the young girl, Kayla was from south Florida. I asked where she went to church and she said, “Christ Fellowship.” I told her we had attended Journey Church. We both acknowledged we were aware of both of those churches. I told her, Journey Church had their first Freedom Conference at Christ Fellowship in Jupiter. Out of all the dermatologist places in Tallahassee, we could have gone to, God had already prepared this place for me, he knew I was a little afraid, but that I was trusting him to see me through and boy did he ever. Let me back up a minute to tell you the beginning of the story.

One night back in April, I had tossed and turned most of the night, then, for a few hours I slept. Waking just before daylight I began to hear the gentle whispers of my heavenly father. He told me, what a blessing I was to him. That thrilled me more than anything. To hear I was a blessing to him well, that was humbling in itself. The King of the Universe, the one who created all things, the one who spoke the earth into being, spreading the stars across galaxies and formed man out of clay that He had made, said, I was a blessing to him! WOW!! I cried.

He gave me a game plan on how to get my strength back and said some things that if I’d listen would restore me physically, mentally and spiritually and keep me well on my journey. One of the things he said was to start singing again and to learn a Lauren Daigle song. Coincident? I think not! He told me to exercise, eat better and stay off Facebook. Not because Facebook is bad or anything but because for me it was addicting, and I would spend hours there and neglecting other things that were important to my well-being. In fact, last Sunday my pastor from Freedom Church was talking about how the Israelites kept disobeying God but if they’d obey and do all that God told them to do, they would be blessed and find favor with the Lord for generations to come. But of course, they didn’t listen. As I sat there in church, my mind went back to all that God had told me to do by His Holy Spirit, and I had to repent for not doing what God had told me to do. I thought, I only did it a little bit, surly that can’t hurt. But a little leaven, spoils the whole lump. I said, “OK, God, I’m sorry, I will obey you.” And I have listened ever sense. You see if we want the favor and blessing of God, we have to do what he’s telling us to do. It’s not to hurt us but to help us. Like a loving parent, He knows what’s best and if we listen, we will prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers. (III John 1:2)

Through all of this, I chose to trust God and obey him. I want to keep being a blessing to Him. God always confirms his word to us. He is always faithful and honest. If we will do what he says to do, we will have his favor and that is something I don’t ever want to take for granted. Be a blessing, bless God and He will bless you and your family for generations to come!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill May 11, 2023

Exodus 23:11 New International Version but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Luke 11:28 But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”

John 13:17 If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.