Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Radical Obedience



Chapter 6 of our on-line bible study: "What Happens When Women Say YES to GOD" by Lysa TerKeurst, hosted by Lelia.


Radical obedience is born out of delight, not duty" (pp.93). I completely get this statement now. If I had read this 4 years ago I don't think I would have. I have learned in my journey of life that loving God is not a duty. It is not about how many christian activities I am involved in but being involved in what God has called me to. It is not about having a faithful quiet time each morning at 5:15 but about my heart during that time and how much of me I am giving Him during not only that time but throughout the remainder of the day. My journey has grown from a duty for God to delighting in Him. Lamentations 3:22-24 reflects my heart, even though it was written thousands of years ago:
"The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him"
I have learned to seek Him in all things, the good and the bad. Seeking Him in everthing is no longer a duty but a delightful habit.



A situation happened last week and as I was praying and later reading during the "wait", a comment spoke to me from the pages of this book (I know God so put it tthere for me for that moment): "Of what manner of spirit am I?" (Having a Mary Spirit-Joanna Weaver). In this situation my husband and I were facing, we could seek retaliation, we could seek justice or we could seek to honor God and see His best for an outcome. I shared this statement with my husband and we both mellowed. The bad is not so bad because we decided to look at it from Gods perspective-a refining process, a moding of who we are in Him and we accepted it willing and with open arms. In the end, God will be honored and He will carry us though. It gives us joy, we are protected, we are being provided for and we are secure in it-because we walk with God in it (just like Lysa described in this chapter!).


There was a time in my life I wouldn't have reacted in this way. Nor am I perfect at this radical obedience but there is so much delight in doing it God's way. As Lysa wrote out this prayer in this chapter, I felt as if she stole the words from my heart:
"God, I love you and choose to accept the assignments You place before me with an attitude that reflects the truth that you live in me. I know I won't do this perfectly, and I admit my inability to do this in my strength. So, I say yes to You today. I say yes to Your desire to invade my natural flesh responses. I say yes to Your forgiveness when i mess up. I say yes to Your invitation to be obedient even when other paths seem more appealing. I say yes even as my lips desire to utter a thousand times over, 'I can't'. I say yes to loving you more." (pp.103)


I rest in the delight of walking with God-it was what I was design for. Though I have know God since childhood, He is more real to me today then He ever was. I wish I had figured this out earlier but now was the time, God's timing. I am scared to death of what is ahead of me. I hear His voice. I am unworthy by man's standards. Only in God's hands can I do above and beyond what I am capable of and I am willing-I say YES Lord. It involves the sacrifice of surrendering my ego, my pride, and my shame because I am no longer of those things. I am forgiven. Using my sufferings for God's glory may be painful but maybe one soul will avoid the same sins I have experienced, maybe one soul will come to know Christ. That is what it is all about.
"The stones that had caused me to stumble in life were the very ones that were also building my character and my destiny"
~Tracie Miles, Reinventing Your Rainbow


My mind has been transformed. I have a new soul and heart that loves God passionately. Radical obedience. I choose it, do you?
In His Graces~Pamela

11 comments:

Lelia Chealey said...

I loved the end of this post I put it on my sidebar under Bloggers Words....
love your heart for God Pamela and I agree with you...despite how ugly my past is, it's all worth it where I'm at now.
You bless me friend with your how real you are.

Anonymous said...

I found you by following your posts on LysaTerKeurst blogspot. I find it interesting that your name is Pamela. I am a Pamela, as well and even though I hear it was popular in the late 60's ('68) I don't find it often.
We live in TX now, but spent my younger years in middle TN. You can contact me, if interested, at bluegoose@verizon.net.
God's girl, too!
Pamela McCurdy, TX

Amy said...

"I hear His voice. I am unworthy by man's standards. Only in God's hands can I do above and beyond what I am capable of and I am willing-I say YES Lord. It involves the sacrifice of surrendering my ego, my pride, and my shame because I am no longer of those things. I am forgiven."

I love this Pamela!
It is so hard sometimes to forgive myself; I am so thankful that He does not have a hard time with it.

Wonderful post!
God Bless,
Amy:)

Amy L Brooke said...

I love that you are seeing this progress: "Seeking Him in everthing is no longer a duty but a delightful habit."

Sometimes it is more of an instinct, but often it is still so much a choice of will....

I cannot lay claim to that thought.... I think he would be shine with you sharing it!

Michelle said...

Wonderful words. Thanks for your encouragement. Blessings!

Unknown said...

Okay girl...

"My mind has been transformed. I have a new soul and heart that loves God passionately. Radical obedience. I choose it, do you?"

LOVE...IT! Need I say more? :)

Rebecca

Liz said...

Your post is beautiful and challenges me to delight in radical obedience just a little bit more. God has used my bull headedness to grow me closer to Him and I am grateful for the ways that the choices that I make are pleasing to Him more and more often. It is worth it and I pray that it becomes more delightful each day! Thanks for the post!
Blessings,
Liz

Laura said...

Pamela,
The story about the situation you and hubbie faced this week and the quotes you read to him really touched me. If we all responded to conflicts in such a way, oh think of what the world would be! YOu are glorifying God so beautifully through your obedience.
blessings,
laura

amyanne said...

Thanks for this post...something I have been wrestling with lately is how I make some difficult situations worse by my (sinful) reaction to it. My circumstances never "make" me sin (although I like to think they do--it's easier), but it is I who choose to sin. I love the next part of Lamentations: "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Thanks for your transparency!

On another note: would you be interested in reviewing Christian fiction/non-fiction on your blog?

Amy
amy@litfusegroup.com

Paula V said...

Amen sister. The sentence that struck me is "the bad is not so bad because we've decided to look at it from God's perspective--a refining process. Isn't that so true. We see it from human perspective but when we see it from God's perspective that the trials and issues of life are an opportunity to be refined into His image. Is there anything greater than that?? No! I love the refiners fire story based on Malachi.

I love Lamentations 3:25 which says "God is good to those who wait on Him, to the soul who seeks Him." I think I'll memorize to heart vs 23-24 also that you quoted.

I'll be posting today on my blog. Hope to see you then.
Paula

Unknown said...

oooohhhhh....oooohhhhh....oooohhhhhh....the post you left on my blog gave me goosebumps! That is one of my favorite verses, too! We do overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies! You go, girl!