He is Risen

The following is an unedited copy and paste from my prayer journal this beautiful Easter morning. I have been meditating on the true meaning of Biblical Obedience for several weeks. This is my offering so far.

Mankind's view of obedience focuses on the act of obedience. God’s view focuses on the relationship. Technically a person could successfully complete the action but still not move the relationship forward or on the other hand the action may not be successfully completed but the relationship is still moved forward. God cannot separate love and obedience, man tries to. I could do something to perfection with a really bad attitude and accomplish nothing of true value to the relationship. Or I could get full credit for a complete failure because of the effort and intentions of the heart. It all really comes down to the heart more than the act when obeying God. HE does not NEED us to do anything for him that he could not accomplish an infinite number of ways. Obedience is all about opportunities for US to be loved and be a part of who He is, our true destiny. If that is my true motive he will grant me the balances of success and failures to bring our oneness. Jesus’ act of obedience on the cross drew Jesus and the father infinitely closer in a oneness they had never experienced before. There was a communal wrath at sin suffered from both perspectives of the father and the son, united in the spirit. IN all the things they had done since the hypothetical first creation (if there was no beginning there may not be firsts as we understand them) Jesus suffered in his obedience in ways we cannot comprehend but there was an equal sense of purpose and oneness in that suffering and separation. For God it was a unique experience. In our expression we would say that in that suffering obedience, the persons of the trinity Bonded in a new way. We would express it as a new closeness, oneness. Since Jesus is eternal, that bond is as fresh today as it was 2000 years ago. This is what God is looking for in our obedience and even suffering. A chance to bond in a way we could never know any other way.

Check out my cousin Ray's blog today. Just click the link to the right.