Advent: Obedience | Loraine Davies

Devotional

Day 1: From selective hearing to joyful obedience

You know His voice. Still, like Daisy and Baloo camped in the way at the bottom of the stairs, you sometimes plant yourself where God wants to move and choose not to budge. Advent invites a fresh honesty about selective hearing and a renewed desire to say yes. God is good all the time, and His purposes are good; why would you not want to obey Him? Begin with one simple area today: acknowledge His nudge and choose a small, concrete yes. [03:51]

John 10:27–28: Jesus says His sheep recognise His voice; He knows them, and they follow Him. He gives them a life that death cannot end, and no one can tear them from His hand.

Reflection: What recent nudge from Jesus have you heard but sidestepped, and what single, modest act will signal your yes today?

Day 2: When vulnerable, linger in God’s presence

Moses did the right thing by going to the tent of meeting, but he went in angry and came out angry. He had seen God’s glory and heard God’s instruction, yet his unresolved pain led him to strike the rock instead of speaking to it. When you are hurt, exhausted, or frustrated, obedience is harder; the heart needs time to settle before the Lord. Don’t rush the process—sit, cry, hand it over, receive, and wait until your spirit is quieted. Linger long enough for His presence to soften what anger has hardened. Then obey what He has said, not what your emotions demand. [17:17]

Numbers 20:6–12: Moses and Aaron fell facedown and the Lord’s glory appeared. God told them to take the staff and tell the rock to pour out water. Moses assembled the people, rebuked them harshly, and struck the rock twice; water still gushed out. Then God said, “Because you did not trust Me to honour Me as holy before the people, you will not lead them into the land.”

Reflection: Where are you carrying anger or disappointment out of prayer the same way you carried it in, and how might you practically linger with God this week—five extra minutes of silence, a journaled lament, or inviting a trusted friend to pray with you—until your heart softens to obey?

Day 3: Be a better friend: loving, accountable, timely words

Aaron stood beside Moses, shared the same grief, saw the same glory, and yet stayed silent when loving intervention could have changed the moment. Sometimes the kindest thing is simply to sit and listen; at other times, love prompts a gentle reminder of what God has spoken. Wisdom knows the difference, courage acts at the right time, and humility speaks with tenderness. Don’t be passive with those you love—help them remember God’s faithfulness and keep walking. Ask for discernment, then offer words that heal rather than words that blame. [21:13]

Galatians 6:1–2: If someone is caught in a wrong, you who live by the Spirit should help restore them gently, watching yourselves. Carry one another’s burdens, and in doing so you live out the way of Christ.

Reflection: Who is one person you’re walking with who is hurting, and what specific promise or word from God could you gently remind them of this week—with their permission and at a time that serves them?

Day 4: Give God the glory; it’s His work

Moses said, “Must we bring water from this rock?” and reached for credit that belongs to God. We are partners in Jesus’ work—praying, serving, sharing stories, even leading someone in a prayer—yet the saving, transforming moment is always His. Celebrate every baptism, every breakthrough, every answered prayer with a “Hallelujah, Jesus,” not a “well done, me.” Honour Him as holy by stewarding your bit and giving Him the glory for the whole. Gratitude keeps our hearts low and our hands open for the next assignment. [26:58]

Matthew 16:18: Jesus said He would build His church on a rock-solid confession of who He is, and even the powers of death would not overpower it.

Reflection: Think of one recent ministry win or answered prayer; how will you publicly attribute the credit to Jesus—in a testimony, a note, or a conversation—so that He is honoured as holy?

Day 5: Advent yes: costly obedience that changes everything

Mary said yes without knowing the cost or the outcome; her obedience carried shame, mystery, and wonder, and it changed the world. Her yes also points to a greater yes—Jesus, obedient to death, even death on a cross. Obedience matters, and yet when we falter, God is still faithful; water still flows from the rock. Do not let regret over a past no rob you of the joy of a present yes; remember how God tenderly cared even for Moses at the end. Ask for the rhema word for this season, and trust Him as you step into it. Let your Advent be marked by a willing, hopeful yes. [40:40]

Luke 1:26–38: The angel told Mary she was favoured by God and would conceive a son by the Holy Spirit—the Son of the Most High—who would receive David’s throne and rule forever. Though a virgin, she answered, “I belong to the Lord; let what you have said come to pass in me.”

Reflection: What new, slightly risky step of obedience is before you this Advent, and what is the first small step you can take in the next 48 hours to say yes?

Sermon Summary

I opened with Daisy and Baloo because they remind me of me. They know my voice, and sometimes they still choose the sofa or the bacon. I know Jesus’ voice, and sometimes I choose selective hearing. That set the frame for looking at obedience—its beauty, its cost, and its consequences—through Moses and Mary. In Exodus 17, Moses obeys and strikes the rock; water flows. Forty years later in Numbers 20, in front of a different generation, God says “speak,” but Moses—tired, grieving, angry—strikes again. Water still flows because God is faithful, but Moses and Aaron lose the privilege of leading the people into the land. Obedience matters.

Why do we struggle to obey? First, vulnerability. Moses goes into the tent of meeting rightly, but he leaves as angry as he entered. Presence encountered, but heart unaltered. I know that pattern: I unload in prayer, but I don’t stay long enough for Jesus to reshape my heart. When we’re raw—tired, hurt, afraid—we must linger, receive, even weep, so we don’t pick up the same old weapons when we walk back out.

Second, community. Aaron is silent when a word of loving courage could have changed the story. There are moments to sit in quiet compassion; there are also moments to remind a bleeding friend of God’s word, God’s faithfulness, and their purpose. Accountable friendship is not passive.

Third, the heart’s credit-grab. Moses says, “Must we bring water from this rock?” The moment we take what belongs to Jesus—honor for his sovereign work—we lose sight of the plot. Fifteen baptisms since June? Praise God for every prayer, testimony, conversation—and praise Jesus for the miracle only he can do. He is building his church.

Fourth, seasons. What worked then may not be faith now. In one season, strike the rock. In another, speak. Prayer, worship, fasting, generosity—these are foundations. But the obedience of this season requires a fresh word, not yesterday’s method secured by today’s fear.

Then Mary. A teenager faced with a world-altering ask. No visibility on outcomes, no safety net, only the God who speaks. “Let it be to me according to your word.” Her yes points to the greater Yes—Jesus, obedient to death, for the life of the world. And for those weighed down by past no’s: God buried Moses with his own hands. The story is not over. Advent invites us to say yes again. I want to be known as someone who does.

Key Takeaways

1. Linger until presence changes you When we’re tired, angry, or grieving, we’re vulnerable to disobedience. Like Moses, we can enter the tent and leave unchanged if we won’t stay long enough for God to realign our hearts. Linger, receive, surrender, and let the Spirit disarm your anger before you pick up your staff. Obedience flows from a transformed heart, not a pressured will. [17:17]
2. Accountability speaks with courage and love Aaron’s silence shows that passive friendship can be costly. There are moments when love must remind, re-anchor, and re-commission: “This is what God said; this is who you are.” Wise accountability discerns timing and tone, but it refuses to let a bleeding wound shape the next season. Speak life that helps your friend obey. [19:33]
3. Give Jesus the credit, every time “Must we bring water…?” is subtle spiritual theft. We partner, pray, and labor, but salvation and transformation are God’s alone. Celebrate your part without confusing it for his power, so the awe stays where it belongs and your soul stays light and clean. Joy increases when glory goes to Jesus. [25:46]
4. Don’t repeat last season’s obedience Yesterday’s method can become today’s disobedience if God is speaking a new instruction. Foundations remain, but faith is always responsive, not nostalgic. Listen for the rhema word: in this season, strike or speak? Trust that God’s faithfulness doesn’t depend on your familiarity. [30:28]
5. Say a costly yes like Mary Mary consented without outcomes, guarantees, or a map—just the word of God. Obedience often asks us to embrace hidden costs and unseen fruit, trusting that God’s goodness exceeds our understanding. Her yes pointed to Jesus’ greater yes; our yes can open living water for others. [35:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:07] - Meet Daisy and Baloo: obedience metaphor
[03:51] - We know His voice, selective hearing
[05:09] - Framing obedience: Moses to Mary
[05:58] - Exodus 17: Water from the rock
[07:52] - Numbers 20: A second water crisis
[09:39] - Why disobedience? Context and audience shift
[12:47] - Recognizing vulnerability in leadership
[14:27] - Glory encountered, but heart unchanged
[18:02] - Aaron’s silence and accountable friendships
[22:55] - Check your heart: who gets the credit?
[27:22] - New season: speak, don’t strike
[32:26] - Mary’s staggering yes in Advent
[39:10] - Grace after failure: God buries Moses
[40:40] - Call to say yes this Advent

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Exodus 17:1-7
- Numbers 20:1-13
- Luke 1:26-38

Observation questions

In Exodus 17, what did God tell Moses to do at the rock, and what happened when Moses obeyed?
In Numbers 20, what did God tell Moses to do this time, and what did Moses actually do? What was the stated consequence?
What detail at the start of Numbers 20 shows Moses and Aaron were in a tender, vulnerable place as leaders?
How does Moses address the people in Numbers 20, and what does that reveal about his inner state? ([15:16])
In Luke 1, what is Mary’s exact response to the angel’s announcement?

Interpretation questions

“He goes in angry. He comes out angry.” What might this suggest about the difference between entering God’s presence and actually lingering until the heart is reshaped? ([15:16])
Aaron remains silent. In a moment like Numbers 20, what could loving, courageous accountability have sounded like, and why might silence be costly? ([18:45])
“Must we bring you water…?” Why is that line a form of subtle spiritual theft, and how does giving Jesus the credit guard the soul from pride and heaviness? ([25:46])
If one season called for striking and another for speaking, how can someone discern the difference between timeless foundations and a fresh, specific instruction for this season? ([30:28])

Application questions

Where are you tired, angry, disappointed, or grieving right now? What would it look like to linger with Jesus until presence changes your posture—practically, this week? ([17:17])
Who has permission to speak with loving courage into your life? What clear, faith-filled sentence could you offer a hurting friend this week to re-anchor them in God’s word and purpose? ([19:33])
Think of a recent “win” (at church, work, home). How will you celebrate your part without stealing Jesus’ glory? Try voicing a one-sentence doxology that puts the awe where it belongs. ([25:46])
Is there a method or habit you’re clinging to because it worked before—but may not be obedience now? What step will you take to listen for a fresh “speak, don’t strike” instruction? ([30:28])
Where might God be inviting you to a costly yes like Mary’s—without full visibility on outcomes? What would “Let it be to me according to your word” look like this month? ([33:41])
Is there a past “no” or failure that still weighs on you? How does remembering that God himself buried Moses free you to offer a new yes today? What practical act will mark that fresh start? ([39:10])
As a group, what rhythms help us tune in to the rhema word of God in this season (not just yesterday’s methods)—listening and then moving together in trust? ([29:12])

Sermon Clips

This is about some of us who are walking with someone who is hurt having a view about that and deciding under God that we're going to help them move forward [00:21:48] (17 seconds) #WalkWithTheHurting