The Genesee Reflection #8

One of the memories that keeps playing over and over in my mind is the last time that I was disobedient to my dad.  It was a beautiful day and for circumstances that I cannot remember I was grounded.  I had to have been 12 or 13 and my world was outside of my house.  There was an entire neighborhood around me that I was usually free to explore.  Friends around me that I was usually free to go play ball with or ride bikes around the block with.  This day, there was no freedom.  I remember getting into an argument with my dad...again, I have no recollection of what the issue was...and then he said the magic words..."Jon, you are grounded.  You don't even want to know what will happen if you step one foot off our property."

That was all it took.  I walked out the front door...waited until my dad was watching...and then I did it...I placed one foot into the street.

The moments that followed are a bit of a blur...my dad moving faster than I ever remember him moving...grabbing me...dragging me back into the house...a few swats on the rump followed...and then I don't recall what happened after that...


Henri Nouwen writes on Monday, August 26th, 1974:

"Talked with John Eudes about obedience.  I said, 'I don't think I ever could become a monk because of my problem with obedience.  If you or anyone else told me to go collect stones every day while I was deeply convinced that I should write, read, study, or whatever, I would not be able to take it and would become so restless and hostile that I would leave sooner or later.'"

Jesus once said, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.  My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.  These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."


What happens when God has called you to a ministry that is hard, difficult, discouraging, draining, confusing, chaotic, and unrelenting?  Do you continue to obey the calling He has placed on your life?  Or do you see what would/could happen if you took one step outside of the calling?  Perhaps God is calling you to step into a new ministry.  Do you dare leave the comfort of your ministry that is beautiful, challenging, productive, invigorating, friendly, calm, and safe?

Nouwen continues:

"If I were able to trust more, to open myself more easily, to be more vulnerable, then obedience would not be so hard.  I would be able to disagree without fear of rejection (BTW one of my biggest issues), to protest without resentment (BTW another issue I have), to express different viewpoints without self-righteousness (no problem here! LOL), and to say after all arguments:  'If I am still asked to do something I do not like to do, perhaps I must be open to the idea of God's preparing me for something greater and more important than I can imagine.'"