This week in our kids’ ministry, we’re walking through one of the most sobering moments in the book of Exodus—the death of the firstborn and God’s command for the Israelites to put the blood of a lamb over their doorposts. When we read it now, it’s easy to think, “Of course they obeyed! That was obviously important.” But imagine being there in real time.
You’re standing outside your home, brush in hand, painting your doorposts with lamb’s blood… probably thinking, “My neighbors already think I’m weird. This isn’t helping.”
But obedience often looks like doing something that doesn’t make sense in the moment. Something that feels small, strange, or insignificant. And yet, that act of obedience was life-changing—literally. The Israelites trusted God’s instruction, even when they couldn’t see the full picture.
Honestly, I think we face our own “doorpost moments” all the time. God nudges us to do something that feels small: send a text of encouragement, pray at a certain time, forgive someone (even when they don’t apologize), or pause to read Scripture when our to-do list is screaming. These things may not feel big, but they are acts of obedience that keep our hearts aligned with Him.
And sometimes obedience looks like… doing nothing.
Or at least, nothing active.
Which brings me to my recent travel adventure.
On the way home from my husband’s work Christmas party, our flight got canceled. Weather delays, FAA delays, airport chaos—you name it. There was absolutely nothing we could do but wait. And wait. And… wait some more. If anyone has ever tried to “fix” a canceled flight just by refreshing the airline app 37 times, let me assure you—it does not work.
But in that very frustrating moment, God reminded me of our memory verse this month:
Exodus 14:14 — “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Being still is obedience. It’s trusting that God is doing something—even when we can’t see it, can’t speed it up, and can’t control it. Just like the Israelites had to trust God on that dark night in Egypt, we have to trust Him in our own uncertain moments.
So whether God is calling you to do something that feels unusual…
or something that feels counterintuitive like simply being still…
Obedience matters.
And He honors it.
Let’s encourage one another to obey God in the big things, the little things, and even the quiet, seemingly unproductive moments when our only job is to let Him fight for us.