Obedience is Neat

Can't get that song out of my head --- You're one brick short of a load now, brother / ... / you're one fry short of a Happy Meal / ... / To pick you up, back on your feet / obedience is neat ... It's a little ditty by FFH called "Big Fish". It plays off of the story about Jonah (in the Bible, go to Psalms and take a right). You see, God wanted Jonah to obey. Jonah fled. God REALLY wanted Jonah for this mission, so he sent forth a series of unfortunate events. Jonah obeyed. Mistake Number Two was that Jonah presumed to know the outcome of his obedient act and was disappointed in the results. The book sadly ends without us knowing if Jonah finally understood. But my gut feeling is that he eventually got it. I also think the whole trip was as much for Jonah's development as it was for the repentance of the Ninevites.

We all are subject to someone. Parents. Siblings. Teachers. Supervisors. Even partnerships have a managing partner; CEO's report to the Board of Directors. The list is endless. There would be no leaders if there were no followers, and the result would be chaos. At the end of the day all creation is accountable to God.

Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, my burden light." He also said, "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first." But he was tasked by his heavenly Father to issue universal commands; slave and master alike are to obey him. He issued a number of imperatives, which I readily accept as commands. However, it seems that most every time he used the word "obey", the closest command in the proximity of that word was to love.

Over the years I have experienced being in authority, as well as being under the thumb of oppressive authority. But recently I have experienced the refreshing, freeing feeling of being obedient. Now before you eyeball my halo, let me explain.

You know the cartoon of the person with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other? The angel is a do-gooder, and the devil wants you to have fun. I've not yet gotten a good grasp on Satan's role in this grand human experiment, but I have no problem believing that there are good and evil voices whispering in our ears. And sometimes old Lucifer has some pretty convincing (albeit deceiving) arguments. We get the task of deciding which one to obey. To be sure the Spirit's voice (Holy Spirit) is stronger, but our pride allows us to give the other voice more attention than it deserves.

God has been gradually increasing my consciousness of my shortcomings and has encouraged me to obey the teachings of his Son. It's wonderful to have a Father who will never give up on you. Even when your journey drags you down to the pit of sadness, despair and horror, he WILL get your attention, reinforce his love for you and .../spit you out on the dry land/.

And he has eternity in which to do it. Obedience is neat.
STEVE