Day 9.....What makes God smile?

Trusting God completely. I know many folks have (or have had) trust issues due to past experiences. But I can assure you that God is not like anyone we've ever known. He doesn't make promises He won't keep. He is not guided by circumstance or chance. He can stop time if need be. Obedience can also be an obstacle. Believe me, I know. My main goal in life before I surrendered to Jesus was rebellion, disobedience and contempt for ANY authority. I can't say that I've changed in that area wholly, or completely, but for the mostpart, I have. I still have trouble with authority from time to time, as well as trouble with complete and unquestioning obedience. Soldiers are trained to be obedient no matter what. They are taught to act, rather than react or ponder the situation. They are trained for every possible scenario they may encounter. Here's an excerpt from this chapter:
"Often we try to offer God partial obedience. We want to pick and choose the commands we obey. We make a list of the commands we like and obey those while ignoring the ones we think are unreasonable, difficult, expensive, or unpopular. I'll attend church but I won't tithe. I'll read my Bible but won't forgive the person who hurt me. Yet partial obedience is disobedience. Wholehearted obedience is done joyfully, with enthusiasm. The Bible says, 'Obey Him gladly.'"

Oh my. Many folks may tell you "Blind faith, or blind obedience is stupidity." That's true, if you're trusting a person, or even a group of people. But blind faith and obedience is truly what pleases God the most. The Red Sea didn't part until they stepped out. Once their feet touched water immediately the waters parted. If they had waited for them to part first.......they never would have. It's always nice and comfortable to have everything in order......everything ready........everything prepared. But sometimes God's going to say, "Step out and do it!" He's not going to ask your opinion or wait for you to start a new committee (our government's and some churches answer to everything......start a new dadburn committee......hehehehehe). No, God wants us to trust Him enough that we will act upon His word. Most of what I'm talking about here is not an audible voice or an angel appearing......but just reading and obeying His word. Jesus said it best......"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself." Those are truly the greatest of the commandments.........they all hinge upon obeying those two. Now the question:

"Since God knows what is best, in what areas of my life do I need to trust Him most?"

Hmmmm. Boy this is hard. Sometimes I get into a Thomas like mentality. I want to see it before I believe it. And I realize that's not faith. I wonder if I could have been as obedient as Noah was in building the ark before ever having even seen rain.....much less even imagined a flood. I would like to think I would have. I've been obedient in smaller tasks given me by the Master. It's kind of like folks who say, "Oh if I was in the war I would this that and the other thing. Or, if I were the president, mayor, judge, or pastor......I would do such and such." You have no idea what you would do until you have all that responsibility resting upon your shoulders. You can speculate, but you really have NO idea. I find it funny when I hear people saying how dumb the children of Israel were for not obeying after seeing all the miracles. We've seen miracles, and we disobey. We have the BIBLE for heaven's sake......they didn't. Moses came down and told them what God said. They couldn't read it for themselves. We have less of an excuse than they did. When have we been in the desert for years at a time? An old Cherokee saying goes something like this: "You can't judge him unless you've walked a mile in his moccasins (or shoes)." I can't obey for you, and you can't obey for me. We can only deal with what we encounter. Anyway.......I've blabbed enough........what's on your mind???