Irrational Obedience
"When all our enemies heard about this [the rebuilt wall], all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." (Nehemiah 6:16)
The reason for this fear and trembling, this loss of self-confidence on the part of the surrounding nations was this: these weak Israelites were commanded something they were unable to do. When they obeyed anyway, the wall was completed and others around them knew that the only plausible explanation was Him. And we know that many did not obey, but gave up their wall building and returned to exile. This was quite rational from a human perspective; obedience usually involves some irrationality.
If this is not happening in our lives and mission, it is surely because we are only doing the things that are possible for us. And we often call them God's work even when their accomplishment doesn't require His work. These works are really not even about Him at all -- they are, if we are honest, about us and what we can accomplish.
This is extremely hard to accept and to live. Because it's not just that we are unable to complete the work without His help; without a miracle, we can't even begin it! How shall we make plans for and set ourselves to do the impossible?
We know that true obedience to any commandment or calling is humanly impossible. We read that the people "worked with all their heart" (4:6); the Hungarian Bible renders this as, "worked in a good mood"! Unless God works the impossible, obedience with our whole heart, joyful obedience, cannot happen. And those around us will not see God and lose confidence in themselves.
[AV, 2009]
The reason for this fear and trembling, this loss of self-confidence on the part of the surrounding nations was this: these weak Israelites were commanded something they were unable to do. When they obeyed anyway, the wall was completed and others around them knew that the only plausible explanation was Him. And we know that many did not obey, but gave up their wall building and returned to exile. This was quite rational from a human perspective; obedience usually involves some irrationality.
If this is not happening in our lives and mission, it is surely because we are only doing the things that are possible for us. And we often call them God's work even when their accomplishment doesn't require His work. These works are really not even about Him at all -- they are, if we are honest, about us and what we can accomplish.
This is extremely hard to accept and to live. Because it's not just that we are unable to complete the work without His help; without a miracle, we can't even begin it! How shall we make plans for and set ourselves to do the impossible?
We know that true obedience to any commandment or calling is humanly impossible. We read that the people "worked with all their heart" (4:6); the Hungarian Bible renders this as, "worked in a good mood"! Unless God works the impossible, obedience with our whole heart, joyful obedience, cannot happen. And those around us will not see God and lose confidence in themselves.
[AV, 2009]
posted by CS at 1:59 PM
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