I realized after my last post that I need to be shorter in my posts. That I will attempt to do with this one. And since God has persistently continued to pursue the path of total obedience with me, I thought I would share with you some more discoveries. These are gleaned from my re-reading of Thomas Kelly's thoughts on the subject (see my post for May 22). In a remarkable chapter entitled "Holy Obedience," Thomas Kelly writes the following challenging thoughts. Perhaps you will be as moved by them as I was.
Meister Eckhart wrote: "There are plenty to follow our Lord half-way, but not the other half. They will give up possessions, friend and honors, but it touches them too closely to disown themselves." It is just this astonishing life which is willing to follow Him the other half, sincerely to disown itself, this life which intends complete obedience, without any reservations, that I would propose to you in all humility, in all boldness, in all seriousness. I mean this literally, utterly, completely, and I mean it for you and for me--commit your lives in unreserved obedience to Him.
If you don't realize the revolutionary explosiveness of this proposal you don't understand what I mean. Only now and then comes a man or woman who, like John Woolman or Francis of Assisi, is willing to be utterly obedient, to go the other half, to follow God's faintest whisper. But when such a commitment comes in a human life, God breaks through, miracles are wrought, world-renewing divine forces are released, history changes. (page 52, A Testament of Devotion)
As I have read these words again and again, I have felt God's challenge to me more than ever. How many times have I told God I want to see His power change the world around me? How many times have I longed for God's people to awaken from their slumber? Yet I must confess that not until recently have I connected absolute obedience with the answer to these longings. Yet, Thomas Kelly is right, isn't He? The world has always been most impacted by those whose lives were most completely submitted to God!
Do you feel a longing rising in your heart as you read this? I hope so. And may some of us, at least truly discover what Kelly writes about--make it so, Papa God! Do whatever it takes in me! Kelly writes later in the same essay what my heart longs for: "There is a degree of holy and complete obedience and of joyful self-renunciation and of sensitive listening that is breath-taking." (page 53). Abba, take us, all of us, to this level for your glory and for the good of our decaying world!
Broken before Him, crying out to Him.
Tom, the least of Abba's children.
1 comment:
Hi Tom,
Yesterday, I read your post about the connection between obedience and world change. I've been reading Jeremiah - ouch! like sand paper to the soul - Today I ran across a verse that ties in with your point - it made me sit up - "If you will return, O Israel," says the LORD, "Return to Me abd if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, then you shall not be moved and you shall swear, 'The LORD lives,' in truth, in judgment, and in righteousnes; THE NATIONS SHALL BLESS THEMSELVES IN HIM, AND IN HIM SHALL THEY GLORY." Wow! Have you read the autobiography of St. Patrick - he converted Ireland through preaching, signs and wonders and is arguably one of the two or three dozen most world impacting over the long term believers since the apostles. It's called the Confession of St Patrick, though written over 1500 years ago, it's really by him and is readily available on the web. It's a window into the soul and spirituality of a world changer.
Blessings!
Jeff Alexander
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