The Promise of Obedience
Enjoying a chat with Fawn the other day I asked what was currently ministering most. She said something from Ephesians about the word “sacrifice.” “Our sacrifices are not for the sake of those for whom we give things up but for Him whom we love.” That was the gist of her answer, and I liked it allot.
Jesus said, “”If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15 (NAB) So the first thing is “If you love me…” It’s easy to obey if we love Him. We don’t have to study obedience or try to conjure it up for if we love Him, we effortlessly obey. If we love Him obedience just IS.
The key to loving Him is in holding the vision of Him.
…and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Mark 12:30 (ASV)
Abandoning our attention to Him, the value and amount of concern given to others comes easily. Then any person may state his or her request or opinion and we habitually ask, “Lord, what do you think?” We desire nothing less than God’s opinion in every matter because we love Him, and of course we know that He is not separate from us.
…keep yourselves in the love of God Jude 1:21 (ASV)
Is my ear so keen that I easily hear the whisper of the Spirit and know His direction for my life? Do I know that I know what Love wants in this instance or that? Do I understand that in being made one with Him I am His love in action? It is mine to listen, for the Spirit seldom if ever shouts. His is the still small voice speaking through my conscience (we are one in love) and my soul offers the response: “Lord, I am delighted to obey you in this matter.” And with my response, viola! Here—right here—He is! Knowing that He is, I love Him passionately and I attentively keep ‘me’ in His love. I am no longer seeking but never finding as is the case with so many inside and outside the church who struggle in the illusion of separation.
It’s in loving Him that we find Him, and in finding Him we know how He first loved us. Here in loving Him we grasp the reward. Him—the One for whom we lay down our lives. Never again do we struggle with the word obedience, for it is His promise effortlessly enjoyed by His keeping ‘through us’ the very first command.
Excellent, Jaque! Your heart evidences the natural outpouring of grace, love, peace, and the spontaneous action that occurs when the awareness of our union with Christ becomes the tangible substance of our being! I especially love this part:
“Abandoning our attention to Him, the value and amount of concern given to others comes easily. Then any person may state his or her request or opinion and we habitually ask, “Lord, what do you think?” We desire nothing less than God’s opinion in every matter because we love Him, and of course we know that He is not separate from us.”
And then this part:
“Do I understand that in being made one with Him I am His love in action?”
I love taking these truths and reversing them to show truth from the other direction. Truth is truth from all directions! So, I am His love in action…and He is my love in action. The love that I feel and the compassion I extend, the acts of kindness and service that I cannot avoid…this is Him, living as me. It is so natural!
You also said:
“Never again do we struggle with the word obedience, for it is His promise effortlessly enjoyed by His keeping ‘through us’ the very first command.”
Life is becoming such a joy! Truly His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Love you, my friend,
Susan
Thanks for offering your thoughts Susan. I’m so glad the word “obedience” is no longer a st%r@u*gg!le because of a misunderstanding about what I’m supposed to earn with strained effort. Recognizing Christ–the One who keeps us–is the greatest revelation of all. What a reward! Christ IN us, the hope of (realizing the) glory!
I love you back dear friend,
Jaque