Delayed Obedience In the End Is Disobedience

# 17 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 1:21 Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the LORD and remain there forever." 23 And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the LORD establish His word." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. I wonder what vow Elkanah had made? It probably was connected to Hannah's wish for a male child, which, when granted, would certainly make meal times in the Elkanah household a little more pleasant! So Elkanah goes up to observe the required feast AND to pay his vow, but Hannah says she will stay behind until Samuel is weaned. Listen to Elkanh's response. As the spiritual head of the household, he holds her feet to the fire and reminds her of her vow and God's faithfulness. In effect he was saying, “that's cool Hannah, but don't drag your feet on this. As soon as it is feasible, do it!” Good advice for all of us as it concerns obedience to the Lord. Hemming and hawing doesn't cut it. Jas 4:17 says, "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." Overly delayed obedience, is in the end disobedience, and let's face it, our delayed obedience is usually the result of our flesh overruling the Spirit. God, help us today to respond gladly and in a timely fashion to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.