To will or to want...

"We need to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus on a much deeper level then we do now. We should get in the habit of continually seeking His counsel on everything, instead of making our own commonsense decisions and then asking Him to bless them. He cannot bless them; it is not in His realm to do so, and those decisions are severed from reality. If we do something simply out of a sense of duty, we are trying to live up to a standard that competes with Jesus Chrsit. We become a prideful, arrogant person, thinking we know what to do in every situation. We have put our sense of duty on the throne of our life, instead of enthroning the resurrection life of Jesus... When we do something out of a sense of duty, it isesay to explain the reasons for our actions to others. But when we do something out of ovedience to the Lord, there can be no other explanation --just obedience. That is why a saint can be so easily ridiculed and misunderstood." (Oswald Chambers, my utmost for his highest).

The call of Christ is to go beyond the call of duty. We are called to be continually pouring out of ourselves for the sake of others, that they might come to know the hope we have found in Christ. When we begin to do things simply because we feel we have to, our joy in sevice is completely lost. What we stand for in Christ, gets taken away. But if we do something, simply out of love for our Lord, it makes all the difference in our attitude.

I love how obedience to the calling of Christ, does not mean predictability. As soon as we can put a formula to obedience, it looses all its mystery. When we say yes to accept a challenge, we don't always know what we are in for, and how we might be changed. But it is in taking that first step, that we are allowing God to act. It is in saying "alright, I will do this, show me what I need to do", that God can open up a whole new ball game and surprise us. And in doing so, we never leave a situation without being changed in some way. God does not waste opportunities, but in each and every trial and test, he tweaks our character and makes us into the Holy people he has called of us. So if being obedient is so rewarding, why do we still, time and time again, refuse to walk in it?