Believing and Accepting

I heard a great message yesterday about the need to not only believe but to accept God's word for our lives. The story the preacher used was that of the man born blind. Jesus heals him on the Sabbath by spitting on the ground, making clay and then putting it on the mans eyes. Jesus then tells the man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The man does what Jesus tells him and he is healed!

The point the preacher made was that this man not only believed that Jesus COULD heal him, but he accepted the way in which Jesus chose to heal him! He could have asked a bunch of 'why' questions - Why the mud? Why do I have to wash? Why in that pool? Can I wash in a different pool? Why did you have to use spit to make the mud? But instead he simply accepted the method of healing and did as Jesus said. He was willfully obedient.

I was thinking about willful obedience a while back and how it seems to look so much different then wrestling with God until we have been beated into submission. We just finally give up fighting! But how much different would our lives look, and God's joy be complete, if we accepted the words God speaks to us?

I have a 3 year old daughter who loves to eat treats. I don't mind giving her special treats but it usually comes with some requirements. Many times it requires that she eat her lunch first, or perhaps clean up her toys. What is the primary response I get from my daughter? I DON"T WANT TO! This can be followed up by a long temper tantrum, perhaps some time-outs and the entire time she keeps screaming 'why won't you give me my candy?'. I want to give her the treat. The truth is that I find great pleasure in giving her treats. The problem is that she is unwilling to do the simple thing I have asked her to do in order to receive the treat. Now before someone gets all bent out of shape on this let me say this - there are times when I simply give my daughter a treat without asking her to do anything. She asks, I give. But as a parent I know that she shouldn't have candy before she has eaten her meal. It's not in her, or my, best interest.

So as a father I often look to my heavenly Father for advice, for parralells or truths that apply to my situation. I believe this is the principle of acceptance at it's best.

I come to God and ask Him to transform my life - perhaps even ask for a miracle. In response He says to me, "I would love to do that, here's what I want you to do...". As a mature (or so I like to think) disciple of Jesus, what will be my response? Will I argue with Him about the method, or the requirement put before me, or will I accept the wisdom that comes with every thing God speaks?

God I want more joy in my life - Good! Repent of your sin!
God I want more peace in my life - Good! Forgive your wife!
God I want you to save the lost - Great! Call your neighbour and invite him over for supper!

I believe that if we would begin to accept the words God speaks to us, that we would see a dramatic outpouring of His power in our lives. We would transform faster, experience greater miracles and see multitudes come to know Jesus as their saviour.

But there was another part of the message that stood out for me. It was the fact that Jesus was asked to heal on the Sabbath. This was an 'out-of-the-ordinary' thing. Jesus was a Jew, and Jews rested on the Sabbath. But the man that wanted to be healed had asked Jesus to heal him on the sabbath. He had requested an extrordinary event to take place, and this is how Jesus responded - He healed the man in and extrordinary way!!

The point the preacher made was this - If you ask God to do something out of the ordinary in your life, the be prepared to DO something our of the ordinary to receive it!