Parker's Place: What Wondrous Love is Obedience?

This verse from John is a beautiful verse, and one to which I totally cannot relate:

"The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him. John 8:29"

This prayer from Thomas Merton is a beautiful prayer. And one to which I CAN totally relate:

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

Because, and maybe I'm mistaken in thinking this, it seems that Jesus ALWAYS did the Father's will. Since we know he didn't sin, we must assume he really did know the Father's will, and wasn't just guessing at it in the dark, the way my bro Tom did. He wasn't just hoping he'd get a pass for trying really hard, even if he managed to break a commandment or two along the way.

I mean, kudos to you, Jesus, but do you have any idea what it's like to have no idea where you're going and whether you're doing the right thing? Certain people have made millions on stomach antacids for the kind of anxiety that engenders.

On the other hand, you do know what it's like to be terrified and lost in the shadow of death, and how mind-bending it is to keep on trusting when it seems the Father has abandoned you. Pretty soon, Christians around the world will be remembering with great sorrow those hours you endured. We will watch your Passion through every pair of eyes imaginable--Pilate's, the Sanhedrin, the disciples, Veronica, Simon, the Roman soldiers, the thieves dying by your side, Mary, Mary Magdalene, John--all of them reflecting parts of our own hearts, both tender and hardened.

This year I will try to witness with the eyes of one who knows his obedience is our blessing, this wondrous love, our salvation.