Trust and Obey

   What makes joining up with Jesus and becoming a Christian such a difficult decision for people? What makes consistently living for him so hard?  I am sure that the myriad of reasons that could be listed are varied and individualized.  Some would fall under the category of people not wanting to give up something.  Others may have the wrong picture of what Jesus is asking or (as is more often the case) some may have had a bad experience with the church or with Christians in the past and want nothing to do with "those hypocrites."  Obviously sin is a reason, but so is science.  Some people just need physical proof regarding everything, leaving no room for the element of faith that must precede one's becoming a Christian.  Others will say the Holy Spirit is not prompting certain people to become believers just yet (I would argue this point but not now) while there may be others whose reasons are mixed up with teachings from other religions.  Many people have no understanding nor do they even want to consider the possibility of life after death.  Still others would like to blame a bad upbringing they have had or that they are "too sinful" to experience the love of Jesus.  What it all really comes down to is an unwillingness to be obedient.  "This is love for God: to obey his commands.  And his commands are not burdensome..." (1 John 5:3). 
   As a cancer patient and now a stem-cell transplant patient, I have had to give up control of what I want to do.  I have to obey the doctors if I hope to recover.  This is what is best for me.  I have to take my medications.  I have to follow through on wearing gloves and masks and avoiding crowds.  I have to eat.  When I eat, I have to eat only the foods I am allowed to eat.  I have to do these things well or I will delay my recovery and possibly even get sick again.  It's a simple concept.  I am not as smart as my doctors and my transplant team.  I don't always know why I must do things in a certain way, but I have to trust that what they are telling me is sound advice meant for my own good. It would be foolish to disregard their parameters.  I don't go off on my own and self-medicate and be careless with what may hurt me.  It is all really being like a child again.  I am compelled to obey.
   When my son Ben was two years old, he wandered out into the street in front of our house after I had told him not to go.  I hustled right behind him and walloped his butt.  I did not reason with him and explain it all to him.  My understanding of what could happen was far more advanced than his at that point. But everything else in my nature and my relationship with Ben was about my love for him so eventually I would hope that he would come to subconsciously understand that I spanked him out of that sense of love I had for him.  My rules were made for his protection.  My actions were done for his safety.
   Obedience is what allows us to see God more clearly.  We don't always understand why we are asked to obey, but only through obedience can we begin to understand the depth and wonder of God.  "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8).  I want to "see" God. I want to know him and be known by him and experience him and be counted as one of his.  I must trust his Word and strive to live obediently.  "If you love me you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15).  A cancer patient must follow the protocols of the health care professionals or pain and suffering will ensue.  The two-year-old must learn very quickly about the street from his parent or grief and profound sadness will be the consequences.  I must learn to set aside self and pride and sin and choose trust and obedience, even if rationalizations and justifications will try to open the door to do what I think is best for me.  Obedience is never easy, popular, and it is seldom politically correct by today's standards.  It is frequently mocked or labeled as "intolerant" or "archaic." Nonetheless, it is vital to knowing God.
   What makes being a Christian so difficult?  Pride, arrogance, selfishness, sin.  I do my best to choose trust and obedience.  And when my attempts at obedience fail, I thank God for grace...another topic for another day.  Amen.

   (NOTE: At school, my students know that every so often I will lapse into "Preacher Phil" mode, an alter-ego of mine who gets rolling like a Southern Baptist pastor and whose own words can act as gas on a fire.  That just happened here.  But I hope that you are challenged.  I know I am. I hope that this entry was even a little offensive. "Amen!" and "Preach it!" are typical responses in many churches, but if you disagree with what I have to say, I would love to open a dialogue with you.  Heck, I have the time.  In the future, I will try to rein in "Preacher Phil" a bit and not let him get out of control too often.  Connect with me at: pwarners@grcs.org.  Shalom.)