peace . love . joy

Obedience..yea, we've all heard about that one.
Radical obedience, now that's something a little different..or is it?

Last week's readings for me in my own quality time with God material was all about "radical obedience". Now, just a minute, lady! You can't possibly tell me you haven't come across this term before in Bible study discussions?! Well, what hit me was how it was defined.

Michael Card defines "radical obedience" as doing the last thing in the world that you want to do. The last thing in the world that you want to do.

What does "radical obedience" mean to you?

He took me through the accounts described in John, Matthew and Mark about Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane leading up to his arrest. Jesus himself also demonstrated for us, lovers of His in the generations to come, what "radical obedience" is, for "what else does 'nevertheless not my will but thine be done' mean if there was not a genuine conflict between two wills, Jesus' will and the Father's will, there in the garden" (Card, 2007: p. 46)?

But "the first seed of the victory won on the Cross of Christ was sown in the garden. The seed was the radical obedience of the Son" (Card, 2007: p. 46). The battle was won because of Jesus' humble submission to the Father's will. He became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.

How can we do this? How can we submit and radically obey God? Jesus, yea, He was man, but He was God too. But us? We are mere mortals. We are sinful men. How can we?

Jesus set the example. And He showed us how to follow.
"Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." ~ Mark 14:37-38

Has there been a time when you would say your spirit is willing to obey the Lord God, but your body is weak?

A second time, we read that Jesus retreats by himself to pray. Again, He chokes out the words "My father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." ~ Matthew 26:42

Has there been a time when obedience to God's will was simply too hard for you to follow through?

The story of Gethsemane extols to us the importance of prayer.
"Without the prayers of Jesus, we would not know his salvation" (Card, 2007: p. 47).
"The prayerful obedience of Jesus in the garden made possible the cross.
Prayer makes everything possible." (Card, 2007 : p. 48).

Therefore, pray when your spirit is willing to obey but the flesh is weak.
Pray for courage to obey when the calling is difficult.

"Radical obedience".
Maybe this hit me precisely now because I am struggling with this. You see, I prayed quite some time ago for Jesus to show me what He wants me to change in my life. Values and characteristics that He wishes me to keep or to learn or acquire, and habits and sins that He wishes gone from my life. All to make me more and more like Him.

I'd say He's answering my prayer. Right now. He has highlighted two sins in my life that He wants erased from my profile. It's not easy. And every now and again, I catch myself falling back into temptation and sinning. You might say, yea! Stop this foolishness right now. Change! You got the order from God on high. What more can you want? How does a leopard change its spots? You've got to bleach him, then mix the dye, then dunk him in and wait, then hang him out to dry before soaking him in a fixer. Long process. But ultimately, it can be done.

I'm still learning. And I do get discouraged when I fail again. And again. And again. But talking to Daena, Puiki and Timmy on Saturday night made me realise the reason for fellowship. The reason for accountability. The reason for Christian friends. The reason for church.
God can physically hold my hand by using theirs. God can encourage me through their words. And God can love me through their actions.

Pray, dear friends, pray.
Pray for help. Pray for courage. Pray for strength. Pray for hope. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for God to hold your hand.
And I know He will, just as He held mine when I reached my hand out between the window grates and asked Him to.

When it's all been said and done, there is just one thing that matters.
Did I do my best to live for Truth?
Did I live my life for you?