Obedience
January 19, 2024
Faith
January 19, 2024
Faith
Today a good friend of mine set an intention; to be intentional. Intentional to put Christ first in everything he does, which, if he is rightly ordered should be easy. Right? As I navigate through the Atlanta airport just leaving a video call with him and a group of other men seeking Him, with intention, I was left thinking; not so fast. Being Christ first intentional as a follower of Christ, a true follower of Christ means surrender, which in fleeting moments of life can be simple. Surrender has levels of difficulty, and in some moments, surrender is a breeze. It just comes natural, other times however, surrender isn’t so easy.
As we were on the call, he went around the horn asking the other men to name their word for 2024. As each man began listing off their word, I thought to myself, “If I’m going to be intentional and surrender then I need to focus on obedience.” When it was my turn, I simply said, “obedience.” Afterall, true surrender through Christ is to obey in every moment; even when you feel like a wet beaten dog.
Through the seasons of life in glory and grace or through a valley, where His Light is dimmed; our path as men is to simply obey. While in a valley or on the mountain we may meet the silver-tongued devil, the King of whispers. Who lurks around every selfish desire or every good intention, our temptress vying for our attention. Obedience, either while on the mountain or in the valley looks very different. The level of surrender becomes very real, and our best laid plans become a literal trainwreck. To make matters worse when we are weak, in the valley, our attention moves away from our intention. His light in us may dim, darker than we may like and just like that we have taken back our will. From engine to caboose, you’re now a looking in the rearview mirror wondering, “How did I get here and how do I get this train back on the tracks?”
On the opposite side of the spectrum. How do we surrender when high on the mountain with Jesus? When things are seemingly perfect; and obedience means dying to self just a little bit? Ooof. Suddenly, we find ourselves amid an incongruence, deep inside ourselves. It could be anger driving us into self-righteousness or an overabundance of joy removing discernment. Either way, a quarter mile back on the track you have toxicity spilling all over the place. Quick man, clean it up.
Nothing about this is going to be easy. I struggle cleaning up small messes let alone a complete trainwreck. Either way, the answer lives in His word, the Bible. The Living Word He gifted to us and, when read with intention comes alive. Hebrew’s 4:12 says it best:
The word of God is alive and active. Cold chills shiver down my spine reading this verse again and again. We have been blessed with the actual WORD OF GOD. Breathe that in for a moment. The Bible answers every question, it is the map, legend and key to the treasure of eternal life. Both on the mountain and in the valley and everywhere in between on our journey of life. Through His Word He breathes life into His Spirit in us. Reading His Word provides strength in our weakness, slowly His Light becomes brighter. Time begins to slow down and bit by bit, your best laid plans, the plans that led you here…dissolve. Like the rise and fall of the tide or the dawn of a new day, what once was is no longer. The transfer of power commences.
Soon we find ourselves working God’s plan, a perfect plan that may include humility or vulnerability, especially if we are on the opposite end of the spectrum. When the gift of discernment becomes the will of decision. Satan doesn’t discriminate where you are in life, in fact when you are walking with Jesus, listening to Christian rock and shopping Etsy for a new Cross; he is lying in wait. It’s in the best of times when your relationship with Jesus is strongest when Satan will pounce, and boy he’s a clever one. Luckily, he can’t survive in His light. Unless we are blinded. How easy is it to stop paying attention to the evil one when life is good? When we are in routine and each day is blessed?
Taking a personal inventory, like taking your car to get serviced should be foundational to your faith. Being humble and vulnerable and the burning of self that comes along with it is the perfect weakness. He has given us the gift of weakness; it is a true gift and one of the most powerful. It’s His tool driven by His Spirit in us to tame the flesh. Without weakening the flesh, we might skip the narrow path exit and just head for the yellow brick road. Often times it may be extremely hard to be vulnerable and full of humility, we aren’t Jesus after all. Personally, the burning of self is hardest with my wife and son. Being a Follower and leader is a hard road and a very delicate balance.
When the idea of humility literally burns and you begin to sweat, stop thinking because the solution is way over your head. Get down on your knees or open your prayer journal and pray. Just pray and pray. Repent and lay out your sin to Him. You’ve already been saved, never forget that. While you are there, bearing your soul to Christ leave that old baggage alone. Don’t pick up the things you’ve already repented for. Meet him at the corner of Forgiveness and Acceptance, where the gift of Grace is redeemed. Find Him in the Living Word and meet Him in prayer and the silver-tongue will fade into white noise and eventually disappear.
Our compass turning north and our attention back on our intention we obey and surrender. Through His gift of weakness of either falling from grace or rising from a valley, our train is back on the track of righteousness. But how do we stay there? Amid the unavoidable chaos of life?
Keeping Him alive, breathing life into Him as He did us. Poetic, isn’t it? Genesis 2:7
Breathing life into Him is to keep him the topic of conversation. Being bold with Him as He has been bold with us, giving Him the respect He deserves. Keeping Him alive, spreading the good news of Salvation is our reality check. We have three realities, one where He is THE priority, one where He is a priority and one where He isn’t at all. Keeping Him alive in every conversation, either through His name or through forgiveness and acceptance keeps him THE priority. When rooted in His Word and through Him in prayer we journey from sanctification to glorification. To glorify Him through conversation, discipling in His name is our charge. The narrow path is intentional obedience; a road less traveled. A road paved with as many obstacles as opportunities. Which path do you choose? You can find me at the corner of forgiveness and acceptance.
