Tuesday, July 29, 2008

simple obedience

Simple obedience to the Lord is kind of a key that is helping me get out of my bout against, or even alliance with the summertime blues, mentioned in the last post. Of course I want the pain to speak to me or actually God to speak through that pain, and this is not only with reference to accepting a lie that comes to my mind. But it does have to do with more, a new work God wants to do in me. So like most things in life, while it comes down for me to simply obey God, there are also complexities going on. And like most things in life, simple obedience to the Lord is vital in it. Which of course involves trusting and obeying.

This involves a long term issue with me, as you may have guessed from the last post. So I know there will be no quick fixes. Yet I have to have discernment to not dwell in places or see things in a way that blocks God's good will in Jesus to, in and through me. I'm reminded of Jeremiah, whom I mentioned yesterday, who had to get pulled out of ditches in more ways than one. God had to pull him out of ditches of his own making, but Jeremiah had to reach up to take the help God offered to Jeremiah. And so did I, this morning.

In my case it took the form of a command from Scripture (actually from Philippians in my mind this morning) that is part of God's will for us in Jesus. And with that command, an entirely different mindset around the life we're to live, or in this case, I'm to live with regard to perspective and practice.

I know it will continue to be a miracle of grace as I go on in Jesus, and not only make it through my longstanding depths and the desert places that come, but find God's new working and work in my life.

What would you like to add for us, here?

Tomorrow: "Olive Press - gratitude" from L.L. Barkat's book, Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places

5 comments:

lorenzothellama said...

Hi Ted. Just read your comment to Martin. Google Earth is brilliant. If I am feeling maudlin, I hone in on Southgate, Gower, South Wales and stare at my Mum's old house where we had such lovely holidays with the children.

I live in Poynton, near Macclesfield, Cheshire. That's south of Manchester if you care to find out if we are playing in the back garden!

Anonymous said...

be in Love























be in Love


with


Jesus









speak of this Love











let me hear of this


how does it feel


to be in Love




to be


in



Love




in


the Love of the one who has this Love for you?

Anonymous said...

have you ever been in love?

well, this is even better.


this Love is better

it is like being in love
times 7 times 7.

on earth we fall
in love


with Jesus we can
be lifted into Love

Ted M. Gossard said...

Lorenzo,
I did look, but didn't see you! Quite pretty, green country there. I wish it was live and don't know how often they update it. Of course live wouldn't do much good at night, though just think how bright the lights would be in some of the cities!

Yes, it's an ingenious, I guess you'd call it, idea.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
No doubt. And love is tied to obedience and obedience to love by Jesus (John 14). If we love him, we'll obey him, he tells us. And no obedience has any value or is really obedience, apart from love. Loving Jesus who first and so wonderfully loved and loves us!

Thanks for these words, and how you present them.