The day to day distractions or the earth shattering illness, the lost career or the loss of a beloved wife or friend, their hearts and minds away from us.

Obedience is a loving, trusting response to God. God doesn’t desire for us to just conform to some rigid list of moral standards. He desires for us to walk with Him in love and trust. His ways are a compass that guides us into loving response to the God who loves us. So, in what way did Jesus learn obedience? While He was perfect and continually in fellowship with the Father and the Spirit, an obedient response in the context of His humanity was something that had to be learned, or experienced. In the wilderness. Jesus’ responsiveness to God the Father was tested and it is no coincidence that in each of the three temptations He responded with Scripture.

Hebrews 4:15 tells us we have a great high priest who has been “tempted just as we are” … tempted to take matters into His own hands, tempted to escape the wilderness, tempted to define His life outside relationship with the Father. Make no mistake, for Jesus the 40 days of wilderness were a time of vulnerability and danger. Mark 1:13 notes that Jesus “was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to Him.” He was fasting during this time as well which would have had its own sense of vulnerability. 

When we are in a wilderness season, God’s heart is that we would “learn obedience” as well, that we would experience a deep sense of trusting responsiveness to Him.  Our responsiveness is tested significantly when we are left without our usual resources for making life work. Whether a health crisis, a relational crisis, or perhaps a financial crisis, one of the temptations is to redouble our efforts … to go to those old ways of managing life once again, trying harder.

The reality is that all of our efforts don’t solve the problems…

Zephaniah 3:17) The one who is leading us is the One who is always present … always loving … always speaking to us.

After Martin Luther’s reformed movement in which he declared the deadly “works” instituted by the Roman Catholic church such actions as confession to a Priest, keeping all the sacraments, indulgences, purgatory and declaring Mary the Mother of Jesus as being divine that the Roman Catholic church and indeed “added” to the Truth of Jesus and Jesus alone saves and that a human can bring nothing to the table to earn or merit God’s indescribable Grace and Mercy.

The Reformed Church however, drifted in their theology and doctrine such as infant baptism and declared they were basically “in” as far as heaven goes. As well as some other rituals that are not based in being saved by Christ alone.

Years later the western American Church kept a more Biblical accuracy in Salvation being in and through Jesus alone. Not baptism, not church attendance (although it was expected, and people were shamed for not going to church.)

The biggest mistake that the Church of the 19^th and 20^th century made was what is called “Decisionism.”  The fact that someone could walk down an aisle in church and pray the sinner’s “prayer” and that was it they were “IN” so to speak.

This preceded a huge non-effectual Salvation in that people did those “symbolic works”, but they missed out or did not allow their heart/life to be transformed by the Gospel of Jesus. They were NOT born again, and it caused a lot of guilt, shame and more than half of those were children and later completely rebelled and walked away from it all.

Decisionism happened to me. I am a Pastor’s daughter so at age 5 I felt conviction in my heart that I needed Jesus. I believed in who he was, yet the transformation did not take hold as it should. I just really didn’t understand yet the weight of sin and what it cost God the Father. It was quite a journey, but He was faithful through His Word and the Holy Spirit to finally break through to me that this regeneration was about breaking God’s heart and him giving me a new heart. It was about following Him and reading His Word because I wanted to. I wanted to know his voice and I wanted to have him call me his own and that is exactly what he did.

Remember Me when you eat this bread and drink this cup.

When all your days have gone dark and lonely, Remember Me…

When the warmth of the sun greets you each and every morning

Or when the red sky above bodes of warning, Remember Me…

Remember me when your days are fresh like Spring.

When you get down on your knees to cry out your needs and dreams, Remember Me…

When I part the waters, so you walk on dry land

Or when the next path you cannot see you feel my leading hand.

Remember Me when your children thrive, and their children are alive.

When all their laughter and joy fill your cup, Remember Me…

When your body fails, I am the one who heals

Or when you can no longer walk, I will still lead you home, Remember Me…

“Remember Me when you eat this bread and drink this cup. For this is my body and my blood shed for you and for those that believe in Me…” Luke 22:19

Holding up my hopes and dreams like clothes pins on a wash line.

My Faith is getting warmed in the bright day sun.

My Doubts are fluttering about in the sweet South wind.

My Love hangs there surrounded by old socks and sheets.

I ‘ve been thinking too much, been trying to hold on so tightly yet, all dreams must be washed clean.

They say, “let go and let God” and that is exactly what I do now.

I will wrap myself in my old quilt of Trust as soon as it is dry.

It is worn and tattered but still my greatest comfort in this Life.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  Hebrews 10:23