I reference obedience a lot, and I hope everyone knows what I am talking about. But for those who are scratching their heads and wondering what I mean, let me try to explain.
First there is generic obedience. By that I mean: you have some general idea about how God would have you live, and you do that to the best of your ability without any specific direction or sense of command directly from heaven. Perhaps there is not even conscious obedience, but rather unconscious adherence to some moral code.
For me though obedience is not generic. It is specific to the will of God for the day, or moment. There is nothing general about it. However, in order to attempt specific obedience it first requires a specific command. This command, if you will, must be communicated to me by God. It is this communication that is the first step of obedience. And it is this communication that I spend a the entire book of God Speaks discussing.
STEP 1 - Is to recognize the command. God does not always whisper to your heart with words. He can use anything and everything to communicate a desired action. Jim Spivey says, "God 's love is self-revealing." I say, God's command to love is self-revealing. There is nothing to "look for." The opportunity to be an expression of His love will just happen. Its very happening is most often the command to obey.
STEP 2 - Immediate action. Jim also says, God's love is "self-animating." Again... love is our command always. Love God and love your neighbor Jesus said. To do that takes an immediate response to the command. The act of love has an expiration date. Someone once said seize the opportunity of a lifetime in the lifetime of the opportunity. Same applies to acting in love. Though this time frame is often unknown the act, the command, is usually a very "self-evident" action. Lilly needed money. I had money in my pocket. The command and action were right there.
STEP 3 - Do not judge the results. This is particularly critical for me. As I often judge what should have happened based on my opinion. The risk here is that my opinion is NEVER right, and if I continue to predict then I run the risk of ceasing my obedience because of a lack of results. I run the risk to stop the good because I did not get something in return. This is in so many ways the "self-crucifying" aspect of God's love that Jim speaks of. Obedience can never ever ever be about us. He has to be 100% about Him, and He will make sure of that.
Monday was a perfect example of a day filled with this self-revealing, self-animating, self-crucifying love. I got to spend some time with Greg a.k.a Mr Unlovable. He has a new girlfriend that is actually a girl. Fell off his sobriety wagon, but I got to encourage him to jump back up on it and start day 1 of a new record.
I spent some time with Robert... he simply makes me smile.
And in it all I remembered Birmy is a graphic artist, and so she is now working on some artwork for a new website idea I have. She introduced me to Mouse. Mouse is another guy down and out on his luck, but knows how to build websites. So Mouse and Birmy are going to partner with me on a website idea I have for selling wireless credit card readers. Who knows what God has in store, but my intention is to split any profits with them. They don't know this yet so... shhhh.... it's a secret.
There's more... there is always more. In the end as I drove home I was overwhelmed with the "presence of God." It is a warmth, a smile from heaven that says, "good job." Simple day it was, but pleasing to the Father none the less.
I just want all of this to be encouragement for you to respond to your invitation for obedience in your life. It produces amazing results.
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