I was sitting in the vet’s waiting room yesterday with my three Persian cats — each of them looking rather unimpressed that their morning had been interrupted. The three furry critters sat in silence, glaring at me with that mixture of pride, intelligence, and utter indignation only cats can pull off. Their eyes carried that unmistakable air of betrayal, tails puffed like feathery exclamation marks, and every now and then one would let out a quiet growl that seemed to say, “You’ll pay for this later.”

As I waited — surrounded by offended fluff and feline drama — I picked up a magazine from the side table. It didn’t quote a saying I’d heard before, but a small paragraph brought one back to my memory and unleashed a few moments of inspiration that I believe the Holy Spirit Himself prompted. The saying is attributed to Mary Bly, who also writes under the pen-name Eloisa James:

“Dogs come when they’re called; cats take a message and get back to you later.” — Mary Bly (Eloisa James)

I smiled, because if you’ve ever owned a cat, you know that’s absolutely true. Cats don’t obey:

• They consider.
• They don’t respond.
• They reflect.
• They hold things in tension.

And as I sat there with three small bundles of feline attitude glaring through the gaps in their cages, something began to stir in my heart.

When God Calls, What Do We Say?

If I could translate what a cat might say when you call it, it would probably sound like this:

“I heard you. let me think about it, weigh it up, see how it affects my lifestyle, and I’ll get back to you.”

And in that moment, I felt the Lord whisper to my heart: “That’s you sometimes.” I paused — because, of course, He was right. How many times does God speak, gently prompting us toward obedience, but our hearts reply like a cautious cat — “I hear You, Lord. Let me think about it, weigh it up, see how it affects my lifestyle, and I’ll get back to You.”

We spiritualise it with phrases like “waiting on confirmation” or “seeking clarity,” but often it’s not holiness that makes us hesitate — it’s self-preservation.

• We want to be sure before we obey.
• We want to feel safe before we move.
• We want to understand everything before we surrender anything.

But that’s not faith — that’s negotiation — Hearing Isn’t the Same as Following.

John 10:27 (NIV): “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.”
John 10:27 (The Message): “My sheep recognise My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.”

Notice what He doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “They hear Me and think about it.” He says, “They follow.” That’s obedience — not partial, delayed, or cautious, but complete. Obedience isn’t about understanding the whole plan — it’s about trusting the One who made it. When God calls, He’s not looking for analysis — He’s looking for alignment.

Selective Obedience.

There’s a subtle kind of disobedience that hides beneath good intentions. It says, “I’m not saying no, Lord — I’m just saying not yet.” But delayed obedience is still disobedience.

When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, they immediately left their nets and followed Him. They didn’t ask for the full itinerary, they didn’t check their diaries, and they didn’t calculate the cost. They trusted the caller more than their circumstances. Meanwhile, we often sit there like cautious disciples, saying, “Lord, I hear You. Let me think about it, weigh it up, see how it affects my lifestyle, and I’ll get back to You.”

AND HEAVEN WAITS — NOT BECAUSE GOD IS SLOW, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE.

Faith Moves at the Speed of Obedience

Every miracle in Scripture began with a moment of obedience.

• The water only turned to wine after the jars were filled.
• The Red Sea only parted after Moses lifted his staff.
• The nets only overflowed after Peter let them down one more time.

Faith doesn’t procrastinate — it participates.

• When God says Go, He’s already gone ahead.
• When He says Wait, He’s already working.
• When He says Trust Me, He’s already seen what we cannot.

Our responsibility isn’t to make sense of the command — it’s to move in response to it.

The Heart of Obedience.

Obedience in the Kingdom isn’t about control — it’s about relationship.

A dog doesn’t come when it’s called because it fears punishment. It comes because it recognises the voice of love. That’s the kind of obedience God desires — not fearful compliance, but loving confidence.

John 14:15 (NIV): “If you love Me, keep My commands.”
John 14:15 (The Message): “If you love Me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.”

The highest form of obedience isn’t forced — it’s free. It flows from trust, not terror. From devotion, not duty.

A Moment of Reflection.

As I sat there in that waiting room, surrounded by three critters who clearly thought I’d ruined their day, I couldn’t help but laugh, because in their eyes, I saw myself.

How many times has God asked me to do something simple, something clear, and I’ve replied in the same way? “I hear You, Lord. Let me think about it, weigh it up, see how it affects my lifestyle, and I’ll get back to You.”

And yet, every time I’ve obeyed Him instantly, I’ve never regretted it. But every time I’ve delayed, I’ve only delayed my own growth, and my fruitfulness.

• God doesn’t call us to control us, He calls to complete us.
• His commands are never burdens to carry; they’re bridges to blessing.

The difference between delay and destiny often lies in how quickly we respond.

Prayer

Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve heard You but not followed. Forgive me for the excuses, the hesitation, and the endless weighing of Your words.

Teach me to trust You enough to move when You speak, even when I don’t understand the outcome. Help me to live with a ready heart, quick to listen and quicker to obey.

When You call, Lord, let my answer not be, “I’ll think about it,” but “Here I am, send me.”

As the Roman slave would say to his master: “From your mouth to my hands.”

Lord may that be the posture of my heart: From Your mouth to my hands. No delay. No debate. Just trust.

Amen.