The Making of a M.O.D.E.L … choose to OBEY

Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replies, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Matthew 8:24-27

Join me for a walk down the beach this morning, ladies. The sun is bright, the spray iridescent, wave tumbles over wave in spectacular aqua curls. How quickly my footprints are erased as surf intrudes on sand. Not so the imprint of Jesus on me. As we learned yesterday, He marks our lives with His life, for life. We in turn wish to model His life so others will see Him. The question becomes how to deepen both imprints—Jesus on me, Jesus on others.

The sea, in tumultuous disarray this morning, reminded me of the amazement of Jesus’ disciples when He calmed the wind and the waves before their very eyes. “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Why shouldn’t I do likewise?!

Is it because obedience is a bit of a dirty word to us? We so dislike being humbled, losing control, or taking a back seat. But Jesus applauds obedience, first as the way to Him: “I have revealed you (God) to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word” (John 17:6). From the get-go, we must choose to obey.

Then to remain in His love we must obey: “If you obey my commands you will remain in my love” (John 15:10). Why squirm under Jesus’ rules? They are not onerous. He summed them up like this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-40).

Finally, to model Him we will want to obey; for when we do, we will see what He will do, and others will see Jesus. Just remember, it takes faith in Him to do His will, not faith in yourself: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you” (Luke 17:6). Choose to OBEY; you never know what awesome thing might follow.

Nancy P