Obedience.

We arrived on Whidbey Island after a long day of traveling on July 1. “How much longer?” had been repeated and repeated, and the last hour seemed to drag on and on.

You raced straight to the double doors of Regency and headed toward the elevator. Excitement, fatigue, and pure adrenalin surged through your tall, skinny body.

“Please wait for us … please stop running … please don’t touch that … please, please, please.”

Negotiating your way through the hallway and up to the 2nd floor, your ears seemed to tune out any order that was given.
Oh, how I wish I could say this was uncommon behavior for you, but it’s not. At age 6 you continue to challenge every emotion I have.

Obedience.

An essential characteristic that I’m trying so hard to teach you the value of. Not just for the sake of following rules and regulations … but because of its necessity in living a life serving God. Yes, serving the God that is wild about you, that watches over you, and that hears you when you call.

Don’t get me wrong – there is a definite piece of my soul that wants you to obey for self-serving reasons – mainly that life as your parent would be easier and it would appear to those watching from a distance, or even the same room, that I know exactly what I’m doing as your parent and could even be called an expert.

But this isn’t about me.

It’s about you.

It’s not about me becoming an expert at anything.

It’s about your heart turning toward God and wanting to obey because you want to please Him … not because of intimidation from authority.

God has blessed you with wonderful, loving people in your life that care deeply for you. They see your strengths and your weaknesses and love you just the same. And yet somehow you struggle with trusting that we know what is best for you. You struggle and fight and continue to push in your own direction, and I can’t help but wonder why.
Isn’t it draining? Isn’t it exhausting? Isn’t it crushing? It is for me.

And although the fatigue sets in, I have not given up … because to expect obedience, one must practice, model and live obedience in their own life. Go figure.

You question, you negotiate, you even defy wanting your way, wanting your answer to be true, wanting to have the last word.

Please trust me.

Trust in the fact that I, too, am learning so much about obedience and that I, too, am striving to practice that which I’m telling you is necessary – a life of obedience, not just sacrifice.

This really wise man named Oswald Chambers puts it like this: I will do all He wants me to do without the slightest hesitation. If I begin to object, it is because I love someone else in competition with Him, namely, myself.

There is this secret strength that lies in obedience … and as you seek after adventure and excitement in everything you do Mason, I continue to pray that you’ll trust in the fact that life in obedience to God is the only way to real freedom.

Obedience is what will set you apart.

And obedience to God will give you all the power and strength you could ever hope for.

Through your strong spirit, through your passion for life, through your boldness, through your need to be “right” – God will use all of those characteristics that define you to make you better than you ever thought you could be.

He will not crush your spirit, but enhance it for His glory.

I know it. I believe it. And I’m praying for you to see it with me.