Just do it.

I've been spending my free time getting fit again. It's still a far cry from my high school days when I could run laps and laps, for what seemed like an eternity, without tiring. Nowadays I've taken to saying to myself, "No more excuses," and just heading out for a bike ride, a jog or doing my regular workout without delay. So far it's been good.

Nike had it right, "Just do it." Simple and to the point, straightforward and commanding. Just do it. Get 'er done. There's the side of obedience we struggle with, just doing what we've been commanded to do. We always talk about that, we discuss the excuses we make in order to justify why we can't or won't do something that God has explicitly commanded us to do. Then there's the other side that says, "If you do this Lord, then I promise such and such to you.." and we make some pretty tragic vows with the Lord, when He just wants us to obey. 

"36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil."

(Matthew 5:36-37)

Jesus was talking about making oaths and how you shouldn't do it because it's not necessary, and it's not wise. You either make promises you cannot keep, or promises that are beyond what you bargained for (and not remotely close to being in your control), and in either case, making such vows isn't exactly God honouring, or God-trusting. Letting your "yes be yes," fits into obedience and submission. Don't give yourself room to make excuses, or to create ultimatums or "tragic vows". A submissive servant does what the master says without question. He is able to do this because, he trusts, knows, loves and respects the master. 

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

If you love the Lord, just do it. I find it funny to imagine Jesus saying something like, "If you love me, think on it for a few weeks, then come back and let me know if that's gonna do it for you or not. If you're not sure we can make a bargain or you promise me something and I'll promise you back such and such to make sure you get it done." Thankfully, he never said any of that. 

I've been reading through Judges and arrived at Jephthah and his own tragic vow (Judges 11:29-40). A vow that absolutely did not need to be made. God was with him, God was going to hand the Ammonites over to him, all Jephthah needed to do was obey. But his story illustrated that making vows or oaths in the stead of "just doing it," and trusting God, just leads to tragedy and heartbreak. 

There is a lot of baggage we hold onto that keeps us from just doing what we're told. Our wants and our desires often get in the way, dancing in front of us as huge distractions. It's our responsibility to deal with all that and let it go, so that we do not give ourselves excuses not to trust God, and therefore not obey. I've heard it said multiple times, "Delayed obedience is disobedience." Delays will always create more obstacles than you need. 

When the command is clear, just go for it. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes'.