It's Hard

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, “For faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience.”

This is the great truth of the Christian faith. God loves our obedience to His precepts. It's faith and obedience that produce trust in our relationship with God. This has been true since the days of our spiritual ancestor, Abraham, and it continues to be true today. We evangelicals and fundies tend to get all excited about His grace and love, but I think sometimes we use it to rationalize behavior that might not be considered Christ-like.

In our world, this kind of faith laden obedience can be...is...hard. Life in the 21st century bombards us with moral and spiritual temptations and there is also the things that we do not do - that we omit from our behavior - things that those of faith should be doing.

It's hard. Still the call remains loud and clear. Obey. Love. Serve. Do.

As we age in the faith, matters of obedience should become second nature to Christ followers. We should do the will of God without even thinking about it. As Jesus would have said, we should not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing. Obedience should be automatic and without much thought.

Even so, we will find ways to make our lives seem OK with God. We have middle age crises. We behave as teenagers when we are in our 50's. We long for the days of youthful hedonism. We seem to forget that we are mortal and the days of wine and roses have past.  We forget that we will one day meet Jesus.

Bonhoeffer wrote the quote above in the midst of a holocaust that he refused to participate in. He saw the godless Nazis for what they were and he stood firm firm in his faith and the will of Christ to the end. His faith produced a harvest of obedience among nameless faithful Germans of the time that stood firm in the face of all kinds of persecution. I wonder if we would do so well? Will we be strong enough to stand when the gathering storm overtakes us? It's hard to say. It's hard to do. It's hard to be like Jesus.

Maybe this is why Rich Mullins wrote and sang:

Well, I am a good Midwestern boy
I give an honest day's work if I can get it
I don't cheat on my taxes, I don't cheat on my girl I've got values that would make the White House jealous
Well, I do get a little much over-impressed
'Til I think of Peter and Paul and the apostles
I don't stack up too well against them I guess
But by the standards 'round here I ain't doing that awful
Lord, it's hard to turn the other cheek
Hard to bless when others curse you
Oh Lord, it's hard to be a man of peace
Lord, it's hard, oh it's hard,
You know it's hard to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard, oh it's hard,
Oh Lord, it's hard to be like Jesus
And it's hard to step out on them waves
Hard to walk beyond your vision
Oh Lord, it's hard to be a man of faith
Lord, it's hard (hard), Lord, it's hard (so hard),
Oh Lord, it's hard to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard (hard), oh it's hard (yeah hard),
Oh Lord, it's hard to be like Jesus
Well, His eye's on the sparrow
And the lilies of the field I've heard
And He will watch over you and He will watch over me
So we can dress like flowers and eat like birds
And it's hard when your soul had been stripped bare
Hard to lift your eyes toward Heaven
Oh Lord, it's hard to be a man of prayer
Lord, it's hard, oh it's hard,
You know it's hard to be like Jesus
Lord, it's hard to be a man of peace
But it's hard (so hard), ain't it hard (hard),
You know it's hard to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard (hard), and it's hard (yeah hard)
To be a man of peace (hard, so hard)
But it's hard to be like Jesus
And I'm trying, trying, try
Oh Lord, I try so hard
Don't you know it's hard
Oh glory, oh gracious
But ain't it hard to be like Jesus   

Lord please give us the strength to stand, whether the tempest is personal or all encompassing. We must never forget what you did for us and that remembrance must translate through our faith to behavior and a trustful knowing that you do indeed walk with us. Some of us think you actually meant what you said in Your Sermon on the Mount. It scares us because, it's hard. Help us to find joy in the challenge Lord! In your gracious Name we pray....Amen