The Power of Our YES

It’s amazing, Lord, how three little letters can combine into a single word so powerful it can change the course of a life, a nation… even the world.

Perhaps the power of “YES” is really found in the questions it answers… and in the one asking those questions.

A lightbulb just went on, Lord.  The serpent asked the very first question recorded in the Bible:  “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?'”  (Genesis 3:1b)

So like the serpent… to twist Your words and refocus our attention.  You actually said Adam and Eve could eat from every tree in the garden except one.  So much abundance!  But the serpent’s question refocused their thinking on the one forbidden fruit.

Because the serpent’s agenda was (and is, now) to get us to engage in conversation with him instead of You, Lord.  To sow doubt about what You say and to make You appear stingy… so he can encourage us to think (and act) independently of You.

We all know Adam and Eve said “YES” to the serpent.  Which led to the next two questions recorded in the Bible.  Questions spoken by You, Lord:

“Where are you?”  and “Who told you that you were naked?”  (Genesis 3:9,11)

You know everything, Lord… so You knew exactly where they were.  But Your first question shows they were trying to hide from You.  And the second exposed the one with whom they had been interacting.

A pattern mankind has been repeating ever since.

You are still asking powerful questions of us, Lord.  Questions that can (and will) change our lives foreverif our answer to You is a clear and resounding “YES.”

“Will you admit you can’t ‘do life’ without Me?”  “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5)

“Will you acknowledge your sin to Me and turn away from it?”  “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”  (Proverbs 28:13)

“Will you believe (and receive) My love for you?”   “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”  (Jeremiah 31:3)  “…to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…”  (John 1:12)

“Do you want me to heal you?”  “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits — who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion…”  (Psalm 103:2-4)

“Will you believe what I say to you?”  “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the words themselves.  Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  (John 14:11-13)

“Will you trust Me with your heart and your life?”  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“Will you follow wherever I lead and do whatever I say?”  “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.”  (Matthew 16:24)  “He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out… He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.”  (John 10:3b-4)

But what happens when our “Yes” is really a clear and resounding NO?

“Yes, but . . .  [“Yes, but I’ve already tried and ‘it’ didn’t work.”  “Yes, but you don’t understand what’s happened to me.”  “Yes, but it’s too hard for me.”  “Yes, but it’s too late for me.”  “Yes, but I am (they are) too old to change.”]

“Yes, when . . .  [“Yes, when he/she makes the first move.”]

“Yes, if . . .”  [“Yes, if only I (or he or she) wasn’t so… (fill in blank).”]

“Yes, after . . .”  [“Yes, after I get past this.”  “Yes, after I get my act together.”  ]

There is Power in our YES.  In our YES “but” or “when” or “if” or “after”… and in our YES period.

So what will our YES be?

Abba’s Girl

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