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Greetings San Marco Family and Friends: I have often thought about the line we recite in our communion liturgy that asks God to “free us for joyful obedience.” Personally, I have often struggled with the concept of obedience because I am not a natural “rule follower.” I think some people are rule followers by nature and others are risk takers by nature. We need both types because without rule followers the world is more chaotic and dangerous, and without risk takers change does not happen. Over the years I have learned that the call to joyful obedience is God’s challenge to us to trust that the One who loves us unconditionally knows what is best for us better than we do. Joy comes from obedience because every act of obedience builds our trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So many times in my life I have learned the hard way that following Christ’s guidance is better that my own limited and flawed human judgment. Recently, I have realized that joyful obedience and risk taking are not mutually exclusive ideas. We can choose obedience and still have a life of adventure and life-giving risk taking. Life with Jesus is NOT boring and predictable. Rather, the rich, engaging journey of discipleship is a window into the heart of God’s love for humanity. Christ is present in the midst of every heartache and tragedy. Obedient trust in God’s redemptive Grace leads us to replace eyes of despair with hopeful eyes. There is a quote from Marcel Proust on the cover of my journal that says, “The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” This is what discipleship is really about. Put another way, as a friend often says, “God reserves only the best when we leave the choice to him.” This is true not in terms of material rewards, but in terms of spiritual peace and assurance. My prayer for all of us is that we have those “new eyes” that see people and all the created world as God sees everyone and everything. The best, most exciting adventure is the one of joyful obedience to the One we can trust every step of the journey. As is true each week, I look forward to seeing you all Sunday. This week I am preparing a message based upon Jacob’s wrestling with God from Genesis 22. I appreciate and depend upon your prayers for our church and community. See you in worship!
Steve Hart
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