Grateful vs. Duty

I’ve had a thought running through my brain most of this week, more like a question really, “What would be, for me, disobedience if I don’t do it?”

What I mean is, is there something I should be doing (now or in the future) which if I don’t will be a sin? Is there a specific call on my life to do a certain something or start a specific somewhere?

Know what I mean?

I remember singing, as a kid at school, “Obedience is the very best thing to show that you believe.” I think we’d even clap along while we sang it. I disagree, in part.

Obedience is great, but the best way to show you believe must be love, for if it is how all will know we are of Christ, by the way we love each other, then surely love would be the best way to show belief (or disbelief). But even love, if not done correctly cannot be the supreme way to show belief.

It’s the chasm between obligation and gratitude, which separates correct love/obedience and incorrect.

Obligation is this, “I love you because I have to.” Flattering, right?

Gratitude is this, “I love you because of who you are.”

The first is forced action the other is a welling up within another because of the worth of the one loved.

So, back to the beginning, what should I be doing, not from having to, but from getting to, which would be disobedience if I don’t do said thing?

Thankful Gratitude

I’m usually opposed to writing about trending topics, but this Thanksgiving I’m making exception cause writing about being thankful makes me more thankful.

So here they are (order has nothing to do here) some things I’m thankful for:

1. The new/focused job. I went from Elder to Deacon, From Community Pastor to Communication/Connection Pastor, and I’m stoked about this. Someday there’ll be a series of posts chronicling the exact reasons for this change.

2. Family. If you’ve met my family you know why I’m thankful for them, their odd, quirky and deeply in love with Jesus. Plus they all speak fluent sarcasm (well… my sister may not, but she’s becoming, “culturally relevant.”)

3. Literature. Dracula > me (I couldn’t do it, too scary for my lil self. And reading scury stuff before bed was not a good idea) The Three Musketeers = Amazing (so far).

4) Writing. Having a blog is dang therapeutic for me.

5) Scripture. Without it there is no message, there is nothing to proclaim. For in it we know of Jesus and his Gospel.

6) Music. Yes, Taylor Swift is a favorite of mine. Her words get to me. And she is seems to be a rather classy woman.

7) Words. Without them I have nothing to say, nothing to write and no way of relaying my deepest passions. Shoot, I couldn’t even say ‘hello.’ Which means I should watch how I use words.

8) Friends. Who listen and care. Who stand beside me and proclaim truth with me.

There was a thought recently, one, which has continued to reoccur in my mind. In this thought I am an old man sitting near a fire recounting the life I’ve lived. Thinking back and being able to say, ‘I’ve done that.’ Not from a proud perspective, but from a humbled view. To be unworthy of the capability of doing what was done.

But, I suppose, the catch should be this: in our thankfulness and in our doings there should be little obligation but much gratitude. For none of this is deserved. Because God rains down mercy, for now.