By Rev Dr Don Moore Executive Director Canadian Christian Business Federation
Caught up in the busyness of life and business, it doesn’t take much for you to get out
of alignment with God’s plan for our life. Most often it’s unintentional but sometimes
our own self-interests can be the culprit!
That’s clearly what happened with Jonah in the Old Testament. God gave him very
clear instructions and he chose to turn and go in the other direction. The price he paid
would be almost unbelievable if he hadn’t lived to tell the story.
Woven throughout the Bible are examples of leaders who were faced with choices that
were not always easy to make. Some succeeded with obedience and others lost out big
time through the painful consequences they experienced. Common in each case were
three important lessons about obedience to God.
1. Obedience is about Choice
Obedience to God requires a choice and that choice often requires a significant step
of faith! Jonah didn’t like what could happen if he obeyed God, so he simply tried
to escape by running. What God was really saying was, “simply trust me!”
Jonah lost his perspective and thought he could ignore God and get away with it. He
should have remembered what Jeremiah wrote, “For I know the plans I have for
you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a
future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Given the plans that God has for your life & business,
how is God asking you to just trust Him?
2. Obedience is about Correction
Don’t you wish that every time you’re asked to obey that you always made the right
choice? Unfortunately, the reality is that it’s easy to gradually drift from following His
plan completely. Often, it takes a course correction to truly be obedient.
Jonah’s course correction came from those mates in the boat with him in the
ravaging storm. Rightly so, they challenged Jonah to do the right thing or they’d all
perish in the tumultuous sea. Jonah was confronted with what he was doing in
running from God and its impact on others around him.
It’s important to listen to those closest to you. They may recognize your drift from
His plan and help you avoid disastrous results. Remember, that your choices have a
significant impact on the lives of those who live and work with you.
To whom do you share your plans by faith,
who also can help to keep you on course?
3. Obedience is about Consequences
Every choice has a consequence! Obey and you’ll enjoy the positive outcomes.
However, it appears that Jonah forgot that when you choose to disobey, God always
makes you give an account for that choice and live with the result.
When Jonah made the wrong choice, he was taught a lesson that he would never
forget (nor all of us!). The time of seclusion in the belly of the whale certainly gave
Jonah the opportunity for reflection on his choices. Admitting his disobedience,
Jonah repented, accepted God’s forgiveness and made a turn for the better.
If consequences are plaguing you, then it might be time for some reflection to see if
there are ways in which you’re drifting from obedience to His plans for your life and
business.
How often do you set aside time to reflect on the consequences
of your obedience or disobedience to Him?
Living a life of obedience to God is your ultimate goal as business leader. Making the
right choices may take some course corrections but be assured the consequences that
result will have His figure prints all over them.
Don Moore
Executive Director Canadian Christian Business Federation
Don strongly believes that people are our nation’s most valuable asset. His Listen-Learn-Lead” approach to leadership has made him highly effective in executive roles in a variety of organizations with local, regional, national, and international reach. An entrepreneurial thinker and strategist, Don built a grassroots movement of denominational and ministry leaders committed to evangelism with The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and led a National Consultation in Ottawa.
