“As we’ve talked about before,” Stan commented, “I think the apostle Paul was a master at saying something significant for my faith walk in just a few words, often in a single phrase. I saw another example earlier this morning.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“In his letter to the church in Philippi,” Stan said, “where Paul was writing about Jesus having gone to the cross to accomplish all that He did by His finished work, Paul inserted a nugget of truth about how I am to be obedient to God for as long as I have a breath to take on this side of eternity.”
“How so?”
“Where it says that Jesus ‘humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death’,” Stan replied. “It seems to me that what Paul was pointing out is that Jesus was obedient to His Father for as long as He lived. In His case, that was only thirty-three years and it ended on the cross, but He was obedient to the end.”
‘And you think it’s to be the same for yourself?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” Stan replied. “I think it’s to be the same for me. I am to be obedient to the end regardless of how long it takes to get there, and regardless of how the end comes. I am to be obedient to the point of my death.”
“Just like Jesus,” I commented.
“Just like Jesus,” Stan repeated.
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Bible veres to consider:
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8.
Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done. Luke 22:42.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the life of obedience you have given me to live here before I step into eternity to be in your presence forever. I confess that too often I do not obey you. I do that because I choose disobedience over obedience. Please forgive me. And please help me to live the same obedient life that Jesus lived so I will obey all you have for me to obey for as long as you keep me here, regardless of how long that may be. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Obeying God for as long as He keeps us on this side of eternity is what we are to do. Do you agree with that? Why or why not? Why did Jesus go to the cross in obedience to the Father? How are you doing in obeying God for the life He has given you to live here before you step into eternity? As well as you would like? As well as God would like? If you sense some changes in your obedience may be in order, how are those changes going to occur? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 