“If you love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15. Our Lord never insists on our obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but he never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an “if” … If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23…
The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love something I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny.
My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become the pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed.”
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) in “Obedience or Independence?” the November 2 reading in My Utmost for His Highest an updated edition in today’s language (Grand Rapids: Discovery House, 1992).
While Lent is the season for nurturing spiritual growth by focusing on key aspects of the faith, we must not wait for a special call to the mission field or a divine sign from heaven to put what we have learned to practice. We must obey in the “seemingly random circumstances” of life.
Our obedience in loving God and loving others creates “the pinholes” through which we see “the face of God.” That reminds me of the famous statement near the end of Victor Hugo’s, Les Miserables: “To love another person is to see the face of God!” What motivates us to love people?
For disciples of Christ, it’s not a rule; it’s a response to the love we have received from Him. What about you? Do you obey without hesitation? Does He have competition? Take ten minutes in silence today to consider your answers. Do this so that you are prepared to stand face to face with God.