How do you fill in the
blank? Difficult? Necessary? Detestable? How about enjoyable? Given our innate
rebelliousness, ‘joyful’ does not likely spring to mind. We have a
hard time with obedience. There’s something deep within us that does not like
being told what to do, at least without an avenue of appeal.
On the one hand, the inclination to disobey
can be a good thing. It helps people resist the despotic behavior of power
hungry men. Shiphrah and Puah, for example, two Hebrew midwives who ignored
Pharaoh’s murderous orders are rewarded by God for their disobedience (Exodus
1:15-21). And the underground resistance movements of World War 2 did much to
undermine Nazi Germany’s efforts to subjugate the continent. Not obeying can be
good when what is being required is immoral.
But our relationship with
God’s authority is another matter. He has set the terms of our existence and it
is the case that there is no avenue of appeal when it comes to God’s laws. But
unlike the self-promoting and self-protecting laws of tyrants, his are given
out of love. In fact, his call to obedience is a call to joy. He knows what we
were made for and how we can best experience the fullness of our humanity. So,
why do human beings have such a problem with yielding to God’s rule? It’s the
innate rebelliousness alluded to above. Even when blessing is promised for
obedience and punishment for disobedience, we are unwilling to obey.
The situation changes,
however, when, by faith, we are brought into union with Christ. Our lack of
obedience has been filled up with Christ’s obedience and we possess a new
relationship with God. Now, the fruit of salvation is ours for the harvesting. As a bonus, we are not on our own to pursue the expected obedience. We are told
that God is at work in us changing our desires to conform to his desires and
supplying the power we need to walk in his will. As Paul exhorts his beloved
friends in Philippi: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for
it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure”
(2:12-13). Perhaps this is part of what delights Paul when at the very
beginning of his letter he writes,
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of
mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the
gospel from the first day until now” (1:3-5). He knows the joy that’s in store
for them as they pursue the will of God together.
Obedience is ________. How do you fill in the blank? By God's grace you can say, 'joyful.'
