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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Obedience (01/31/05)
I have a snapshot in my kitchen of my three good friends and I on prom night when we were eighteen. All of us were good girls: not sexually active, not into drugs or alcohol, involved in community and sports, pretty responsible. We all attended church and had great families. We are all absolutely beautiful, and our smiles are heartbreakingingly hopeful, full of grace. We knew the right things. We knew how we were supposed to obey God.

But we didn’t all choose obedience. Some of us chose to listen to lies. I haven’t always chosen wisely, but God has been gracious and caught my attention with His truth. However my friends are struggling, hurting, and wading through oceans of trouble that have come from buying into the lie that God’s way isn’t all that great. Obedience seems to be out of style, a childish thing they did once to please their parents. And in the midst of unfulfilling careers, toxic relationships, and single parenting, I pray for them to know the truth that obedience brings blessing.

God wasn’t out to spoil our fun, but to let us fully realize our potential through obeying Him. I wish the sweet girls in that picture had taken the narrower path of obedience. If there were one thing I could get across to my friends and acquaintances that don’t know the Lord, it would be this: Obedience is not a bad thing. It actually works better than your own way.

It’s definitely one of our enemy’s greatest tools, this lie about obedience. He has been lying to women from the very beginning and he is quite talented at it. He makes disobedience look good and obedience look like a trap. He uses the world to tell us that we can be anything, we can choose anything, and we can do anything. It’s all up to us, right? Wrong. Our willful choices can only bring us a bitter harvest.

I know every one of us in that picture wanted something: fulfillment, home, spouse, kids.
None of us wanted to struggle, be lonely, be left behind, or be empty. But we ate the lie like our ancestress Eve did the fruit. We traded our Eden for a bite of temporary delight.

But there’s still hope for us all in obeying the lover of our soul. He made us, He loves us, and He gave it all up for us. We can trust Him, and we can obey. He gives beauty for ashes and gladness for mourning. Following Christ, listening to Him, is our one true hope for joy!
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Sally Hanan
02/10/05
Good lesson. It might have worked better ending wise if you had used this sentence there. And in the midst of unfulfilling careers, toxic relationships, and single parenting, I pray for them to know the truth that obedience brings blessing.
Cheri Hardaway
02/12/05
I loved your entry! I liked fourth and fifth paragraphs best, and especially the wording: "traded our Eden for a bite of temporary delight." God has so much more for young women than they realize. Thanks for sharing!

God bless,
Karen Deikun
02/13/05
The snapshot idea was a really effective opening. I can almost see a book series in that idea. Good thoughts.