Matthew 21:28-32
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Have you ever found yourself in that position?
That place where you know the right thing to do, and you have even gone ahead and committed to doing it, but you never quite get to do it but, in your mind, because you said yes to it, you assume you did it.
Good intentions that never equate to action are not obedience. It is one thing to say yes and another to get the job done.
The second son, though he had said no, he later changed his mind and walked in obedience.
Jesus says that the wicked who had said no are changing their minds, coming in and walking in obedience to please the father, while God’s children who said yes to obedience lose focus and end up walking in disobedience. I have seen men and women who professed another faith cone to Christ and within no time grow so much in him and the fruit in their life becomes so evident. Meanwhile, you have another who was a Christian from a tender age, and now they are adults, but they have very little fruit to show because they struggle with obedience. They know the right thing to do but because of familiarity, they never get to do it.
Good Intentions are not obedience until we follow through to actually do what we intend to do, we must walk in obedience.
Reflections.
What is one good intention you have had but never got to the doing part?
When you investigate this matter, what’s the root of your procrastination or disobedience?
How do you think God feels when we promise to do and never get to the doing?
