"You lead me Lord; you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path."
(Psalm 23)
Obedience... it is a word that can make children, teens, and adults alike cringe with distaste. The first sin was to disobey God, and as a result our will to obey is still today weakened. In America we often equate obedience with the loss of self and frailty. We seek to reach a prominence wherein we will have to be obedient to no one. We believe that we should be allowed to live freely by our own desires, pleasures, and plans. Yet, it would do us good to consider, what is freedom? What makes us free? It is it having to answer to no one? Is it not having to follow rules? When we seek this kind of freedom, life void of obedience, we only find that it leaves us enslaved to sin and unhappiness.
True freedom is found in obeying God's commandments out of love, becoming the children we were created to be, and living the good plans He has in mind for us. Freedom is not the absence of rules or disrespect for superiors. "If you love me you will obey my commandments" (John 14:15). Freedom comes through obeying God's truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). When we follow the path God has planned for us and walk in his truth we find life, free life. It be free is to know, love, and serve our Lord. Therein lies peace and joy, not just happiness, but deep abiding joy. We cannot live lives enslaved to sin and be truly happy, it is not what we were made for. If we are enslaved to sin (disobedience) we will spend our entire lives searching for more, always looking for the next big thing to bring happiness, and we will never find it. Paul wrote, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). Sin enslaves, Christ sets us free.
Humility leads to obedience. "He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8). In order to obey God, we must first humble ourselves to live as His children. St. Louis de Montfort called Mary's obedience, "blind obedience." These two words paired may make us uncomfortable. Surely, the Church is trying to brainwash us to blindly obey and take our freedom. Yet, look at this through the eyes of faith. The term "blind" cannot be seen here as a synonym of irrationality or deception. We are not talking about being blindfolded and led without any information or choice.
God is your Father, you are His daughter. Picture a father and child walking hand in hand. Imagine you are that little child, your dad, whom you know loves you and is trustworthy, asked you to follow him. You jumped up and grabbed his hand, began walking... then you asked "Where are we going, Daddy?" You see, small children trust that if someone loves them they will always lead them somewhere good, somewhere necessary, and they don't ask where they are going until their feet are already set in motion. Moving forward in trustful (blind) obedience, they await their Father's description of their destination.
This is the relationship God calls us to as His daughters. It is not that we won't be given knowledge or will be forced to submit unwillingly to His will. He gives us the choice to follow Him. Sometimes, that choice requires a few steps of faith before we can fully understand where we are going. Walking hand in hand with Him, we trust that God is a loving Father who will always lead us to the good, the right, and the true. "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for your welfare, not for woe. Plans to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11) His plans are better plans than anything we could ever dream of or create for ourselves.
Obedience is really just about going where the Lord calls us to go, doing what the Lord wants us to do, and being who the Lord created us to be. Why be obedient? His plan is good. His plan is what brings us freedom and fulfillment. If we become little daughters through humility, then reach up and take God's hand in obedience, He will lead us out of our chains and into the freedom of true beauty and new life.
Today's Challenge:
Obedience requires being faithful to God in the small daily tasks as well as the big plans for our future. Prayerfully consider two things: 1. What is God calling me to do in obedience today? 2. What big plan in my future should I give over to the Lord's plan?
Be aware that our plans often have to change a little (or a lot) when we give the to the Lord, but it is always for the good. Choose freedom and let the Lord's plans for you become your good reality, today and always.
Also, post these words where you will see them, "Blind Obedience: Freely following God's plan for me."
Today's Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for calling me to this forty day journey. Help me to take your hand and go wherever you call me to go today. Help me to do whatever you want me to do. Help me to become the daughter that you created me to be. I surrender to you in obedience, bring my soul new freedom. Let me walk the paths you have planned for me for they are my "future and hope." Amen.
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