LIFE NURTURED THROUGH OBEDIENCE

LIFE NURTURED THROUGH OBEDIENCE

It is through nurturing that we learn true obedience. Here's a wonderful example of learning obedience for me. Ephesians 5:23-24a, is a command for me to obey, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify her." I can look at this command (and all commands) in only two ways: law and grace.

From the law perspective, I can try my best to live up to this command. I can attempt to do things for Joy that I think she would like. I can even ask for God's help. However, this perspective presumes that I can understand what the command means in the first place! This reminds me of the Pharisees, the trained religious leaders in Jesus' day, who presumed that they understood what "You shall not murder" means…and they sure were proud (aka, self-righteous) that they had not murdered anyone. And they presumed they could similarly understand ALL of God's commands.

But along comes the lowly man Jesus with no formal training to blow away the Pharisees' perception of obedience, "You have heard that you shall not murder and that whoever murders is in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" (Matthew 5:21-22). Jesus points us all to the fact that true obedience is not external, but is a heart issue…and true obedience can only occur when a person has received the very heart of Christ through salvation. "By grace you have been saved. Through Christ we have received grace…for obedience" (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 1:5).

So, from the grace perspective, my focus is on the life of Christ, not my "good" efforts. By God's grace, Ephesians 5:23-25a has become a thanksgiving prayer to nurture me in the life of Christ in me.

Oh Father, thank You for giving precious Joy to me. You are using our sufferings over the past few years to show me that I really do not know how to love Joy as Christ loved the church. Father, that truth is way beyond me. Your love in unfathomable. Thank You for redeeming the times when I have tried to love Joy based on my good, but selfish, human perceptions. Thank You for Your promise to reveal the meaning of this verse as You live through me to love Joy in ways I could never plan. Father, I claim this promise now. Thank you for transforming this command into the promise of the life of Jesus in me. Thank You for nurturing people to surround Joy and me to nurture us by accepting us just as we are…as You have made us. Continue to heal us in this deepest way. Warmly embrace Joy through me and others. In the Name of Your dear Son Jesus, amen.