How far do we go in our obedience to God? Do we go all the way - whatever, or wherever that might be? Do we stop being obedient when the cost becomes too great - when the price is just too dear?
2 Phil 2:8 (NCV) shares this little nugget with us, about our example, Jesus:
"And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient unto God even. when. that. caused. his. death.
- death on a cross."
Last year, God began dealing with me about having - and demonstrating - crazy, abandoned, reckless, wild faith in obedience. Faith that would cause me to 'go all the way' in obedience to whatever He had asked of me. Crazy faith that my obedience was better than sacrifice, even when that obedience required sacrifice. Faith that wouldn't let me stop when the going got rough, when people turned their backs because they just didn't understand my choices, when I lost possessions because of my choice to follow him 'to the end', when I felt like I could not stand the consequences for one more step.
This past year has been... interesting.
There have been times, as I traveled this road, that I have reached out to grab for things to hold on to, for things to keep me from slipping and sliding, as so often, I seemed to be doing. Then, I would experience another wild, reckless jab of clarifying faith and realize that by grasping for the safety and security of this world, I was not being fully obedient.
As 2009 begins, I understand that I have not yet arrived at the destination that God set for me last year; I'm still traveling this crazy-abandoned-faith road. This year, I hope (faith is the substance of things hoped for, right?) that I will struggle less and submit in faith-filled obedience, more.
This year, I want to imitate Christ and be fully obedient to God, no matter where it takes me, no matter the ultimate cost.
A previous posting on Wild Faith
Amen to that! Many Christians forget that to have Faith there must be obedience.
ReplyDelete"faith is the substance of things hoped for"
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I will have to think on that.
Wonderful song. . . (my first solo in church)
ReplyDelete:-)
But we sing it too often without a second thought of its real meaning. In our present day, we just don't see the outrageous faith of our Bible heros or the saints of early centuries or the even the Puritans. We are SO distracted and "sacrifice" in our culture really isn't sacrifice at all.
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for. . . "
YES. absolutely. . . . Good to remember.
~esthermay