A long obedience...

-
"The essential thing is that there should be long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living." - Friedrich Nietzsche

There's an advantage to getting older and it is the ability to look back. ("they" also say that you can tell when you're old because you look back now instead of looking forward like you do when you're "young"!)

I'd found some fifteen year old journals yesterday and it was like discovering old photographs - a glimpse into a time far removed from the present.

We are pilgrims on this journey of life; disciples of Christ for the long haul - a long obedience is necessary for it is a long journey and as I read through those pages I realized the stages of my own journey of faith- amazed both at where I was and where I am. These books though told me another truth - a truth more valuable than the impetus of my having a long obedience; they spoke to me of God's enduring faithfulness.

We can be obedient because we can count on God to be faithful.
In 2 Timothy 2 there's this fascinating passage - look at the parallels:

If we die with Him,
we shall also live with Him.

If we endure hardship,
we will reign with Him.

If we deny Him,
He will deny us.

If we are unfaithful...
(go ahead, what does the pattern indicate that it should say here?)
Of course is would be something like; If we are unfaithful, He is unfaithful to us - He has no obligation to us - We are on our own, You are no longer my concern - So long !!

2 Timothy 2:10 "If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny himself.

We are called to a long obedience, to keep walking the narrow path until it leads us right through the pearly gates. We can be obedient over the long haul because He remains faithful, no matter what. For as it is written, "He died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God". I Peter 3:18

Be the one who, years from now, will be farther down the same path of obedience; however it twists and turns, however how difficult the terrain, because He remains faithful, so can we.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Friends

-
2008 has been such a relational year so far for me. I set up a Facebook account and from there discovered high school and college friends and even kids I used to baby-sit who now have growing families of their own. It’s been a time of reconnecting to people I never knew I’d have contact with again and it’s been interesting to see how we are the same people today that we were twenty years ago; only a little more worn out from use! When I was a child, I remember hearing in a sermon that in your life you will be lucky if you can count the number of true friends you have on one hand. That was preposterous to me! One hand? Five friends? I had way more than five friends! Of course I didn’t have the perspective at twelve that I do now. Now I understand. My definition of friend has matured with my years and I am so blessed by those “friends” who have matured along with my definition. Is there any thing in this world as amazing as a friend? One with whom you can open your soul and know they are...
Read more

Safe

-
My daughter came stumbling into our room at 4 a.m. “I had a bad dream”, she said as she crawled into bed. Did she want to talk about it? An immediate, adamant “No!” Ten minutes she was sound asleep safe in her dad’s arms. Safe When she experienced this bad thing she went to where she would feel safe. Later in the morning she told me about her bad dream and it wasn’t as scary to her in the 7 am brightness as it had been in the dark. Could we have explained that it wasn’t that bad and just a dream to her in the middle of the night? Not a chance, at that point she just needed to feel surrounded and protected. When trouble comes, overwhelming troubles like the constant crashing of waves on the seashore, where do you go to be safe? I wrap myself in scripture and claim the promises that God is… a refuge and help in time of need (Psalms 46) the Shepherd who supplies my needs and walks with me through the valleys (Psalms 23) the God who knows the way that I am taking (Job 23) who delights in e...
Read more

To skate or not to skate

-
Image
"It's just like riding a bike" I assured my daughter as we were lacing up our ice skates. "Don't worry, you'll remember how to do it." And so we clumped our way onto the ice and as she shakily pushed off  I realized unsteadily that my skates were way too loose. Clump, clump back to the bench. Untie, uncleat, pull the laces tight starting from the bottom, rezigzag through the clips, clump, clump back to the ice. Then I found that I was absolutely wrong. This was so NOT like riding a bike as I grabbed for the side of the rink. Tentatively I tried stimulate that muscle memory of how skating works and found my muscles were suffering from Alzheimer's! Perhaps it was from the lack of blood flow to my feet as the laces were now a fantastic tourniquet! Back to the bench, back to the ice to give to all the impression that I was a total novice. As I (so not!) glided around the rink I was incredulous! As a child living in faculty housing of Northland Inte...
Read more